1. **State the problem:** A gopher runs from the southeast corner of a rectangular yard to the opposite corner by running the width and then the length, each 6.1 meters, and then returns to the starting hole. We need to find the total distance the gopher ran. 2. **Identify the distances:** The gopher runs 6.1 meters (width) + 6.1 meters (length) to reach the opposite corner. 3. **Calculate the distance to the opposite corner:** $$6.1 + 6.1 = 12.2$$ meters. 4. **Calculate the return distance:** The gopher returns the same way, so the return distance is also 12.2 meters. 5. **Calculate the total distance:** $$12.2 + 12.2 = 24.4$$ meters. 6. **Round to the nearest tenth:** The total distance is already at one decimal place, so the final answer is 24.4 meters. **Final answer:** The gopher ran a total of **24.4 meters**.