Question
You want to produce a scale drawing of your living room, which is 24 ft by 15 ft. If you use a scale of 4 in=6 ft, what will be the dimensions of your scale drawing.
I think the dimensions are 16 ft by 10 ft. Is this right?
I think the dimensions are 16 ft by 10 ft. Is this right?
Answers
Michael
No. Can you explain what you did to get that?
keisha
I tried to make a proportion 4/6=x/24 and that's how I got 16. Then I got another proprtion 4/6=x/15 and I got 10. What did I do wrong?
Michael
If you just think about how realistic your answer is, a drawing of those dimensions would be much too difficult to handle. That's a good way to know you've done something wrong.
Start by finding the scale for 1 foot. That should put you in the right direction.
Start by finding the scale for 1 foot. That should put you in the right direction.
Michael
You may have used the scale 4 FEET = 6 feet when you should have done 4 INCHES = 6 feet. That's probably what you did wrong.
keisha
Does 1 ft equals 1.5 in?
keisha
is the answer 4 ft by 2.5 ft?
Michael
To get the conversion factor for every foot, convert feet to inches.
4 in = 6 ft
4 in = 72 in
(divide by 4)
1 in = 18 in
For every 18 inches (1.5 ft), your scale will be only 1 inch. You must have done this backwards.
Try your multiplication again to get the final answer.
4 in = 6 ft
4 in = 72 in
(divide by 4)
1 in = 18 in
For every 18 inches (1.5 ft), your scale will be only 1 inch. You must have done this backwards.
Try your multiplication again to get the final answer.
keisha
what do you have to multiply?
Michael
You're not actually multiplying. Sorry.
24 ft by 15 ft
Divide each by 1.5 so that it fits our conversion factor (1.5 ft = 1 in).
24/1.5 = 16 inches
Do the same thing with 15.
24 ft by 15 ft
Divide each by 1.5 so that it fits our conversion factor (1.5 ft = 1 in).
24/1.5 = 16 inches
Do the same thing with 15.
keisha
is the answer 16 in by 10 in?
Michael
Yup.