Scale Conversions
📚 What You'll Learn
- Representing real-world information on a scale model
- Converting speed and distance using a scale factor
- Setting up proportions to find scaled measurements
- Marking locations on a scale model based on calculations
In this video, let's represent real world information on this scale model by making conversions using a scale factor.
Let's suppose a car is making the 450-mile trip, a distance of 75 inches on the scale model, from Chicago to Pittsburgh driving at an average of 40 miles per hour. I'm being asked to use the scale model to mark the vehicle's location after one hour.
40 miles per hour literally means that in one hour the vehicle will travel 40 miles.
So I need to determine where on this path 40 miles is located.
To do that, I'm going to need to look at the scale factor.
One-sixth inches represents one mile. So I need to think how many inches equals 40 miles.
Well, when I move from one mile to 40 miles, the miles are getting 40 times bigger. So I must also multiply the inches by 40.
One-sixth times 40 equals 40/6, which is six and 4/6 as a mixed number or six and 2/3 in simplest form.
So I'll need to measure out that distance on the scale model and mark that location.
That's where the car will be after one hour.