Pamela measured a city and made a scale drawing. She used the scale 5 inches = 1 yard. What is the drawing's scale factor?

Question

Simplify your answer and write it as a ratio, using a colon.

Answer 1

To determine the scale factor from the scale given (5 inches = 1 yard), we first need to express both measurements in the same unit.

Since there are 36 inches in a yard, we can rewrite the scale in inches:

1 yard = 36 inches.

So, we have: 5 inches (drawing) = 36 inches (actual).

Now we can write the scale factor as a ratio:

Scale factor = (drawing measurement) : (actual measurement) = 5 inches : 36 inches.

Next, we simplify the ratio:

5 : 36 is already in its simplest form because 5 and 36 have no common factors greater than 1.

Thus, the drawing's scale factor simplified is:

5 : 36.