Question

A model airplane will be an exact copy of the original, but at 1/50 the size. The original airplane is 230 feet long. How many feet long should the model be?

Step 1: Write a proportion that represents the problem. Let x=length (in feet) of the model airplane.
Step 2: Solve the equation you wrote in step 1. Show your work.

Answer 1

A suitable proportion would be:

1 x

----- = ------------

50 230 ft

Cross-multiplying, 230 ft = 50 x. Then x = 4.6 ft. That's a big model, but still this answer is reasonable.

Answer 2

4.6 feet long.

Explanation:

To create an exact replica of an original in other size you just have to multiply or divide the reason that you are given, in this case the reason is 1:50, which roughly means that the copy that you are trying to do will be 50 times smaller than the original. To do this you just have to complete the equation.

x is the size of the new model

`(1)/(50)=(x)/(230)`

If you clear the x the new equation would look like this:

x=
`(230)/(50)`= 4.6 feet