Steve spent 96 minutes working in the yard, \( \frac{5}{8} \) of that time was spent trimming trees and bushes. He used half of the remaining time using the blower. How many minutes did Steve use the blower?

To determine how many minutes Steve used the blower, let's break down the problem step by step. 1. **Total Time Spent Working:** \[ \text{Total time} = 96 \text{ minutes} \] 2. **Time Spent Trimming Trees and Bushes:** \[ \text{Time trimming} = \frac{5}{8} \times 96 \text{ minutes} \] Calculate the time: \[ \frac{5}{8} \times 96 = 5 \times 12 = 60 \text{ minutes} \] 3. **Remaining Time After Trimming:** \[ \text{Remaining time} = \text{Total time} - \text{Time trimming} = 96 - 60 = 36 \text{ minutes} \] 4. **Time Used with the Blower:** \[ \text{Time with blower} = \frac{1}{2} \times \text{Remaining time} = \frac{1}{2} \times 36 = 18 \text{ minutes} \] **Answer:** Steve used the blower for **18 minutes**.