To determine the average word length in their science textbook, the 7th-grade class would need to follow these steps:
1. Count the Total Number of Words: They should start by counting the total number of words in the science textbook. This can be done by using a word-count tool or manually counting the words in a sample section and then extrapolating for the entire book.
2. Measure the Length of Each Word: Next, they would need to measure the length of each word in the textbook. The length of a word is determined by the number of letters in that word. For example, the word "science" has 7 letters, so its length is 7.
3. Calculate the Sum of Word Lengths: After measuring the length of each word, they should calculate the sum of all the word lengths in the textbook.
4. Find the Average Word Length: To find the average word length, they need to divide the total sum of word lengths by the total number of words in the textbook. This calculation will give them the average word length in the science textbook.
By following these steps, the 7th-grade class would be able to determine the average word length in their science textbook accurately.