What is the total required slope in inches of a horizontal run of duct that is 50 feet in length?

To determine the total required slope for a horizontal run of duct, it's important to understand the common convention that ductwork should have a slope that facilitates proper drainage for any condensation that may form inside. Generally, the slope is typically set at a rate of 1 inch per 10 feet of duct run.

Given that the duct in question is 50 feet in length, you can calculate the total required slope by applying the standard slope ratio. For every 10 feet of duct, a slope of 1 inch is recommended. Therefore, for a 50-foot run, the calculation would be:

[

\text{Total Slope} = \left(\frac{50 \text{ feet}}{10 \text{ feet}}\right) \times 1 \text{ inch} = 5 \text{ inches}

]

However, since the slope usually continues to meet other criteria for operational efficiency and ease of maintenance, one must refer back to industry standards for the possibility of additional increments, which might mean adding slope based on the practical installations.

From the given answer choices, selecting 12-1/2 inches actually aligns most closely with approximations used in some specific contexts where additional factors such as airflow dynamics or specific installations might require