EXAMPLE 2 Finding a Dimension on a Scale Model

White House

There is a scale model of the White House in Tobu World Square in Japan. The scale used for the model is 1 : 25. The height of the main building of the White House is 85 feet. Find this height on the model.

EXAMPLE 2

125

h85=

1 85 = 25 h

3.4 = h

scale model

building

Cross products property

Divide each side by 25.

The height of the main building of the model is 3.4 feet.

ANSWER

SOLUTION

Write and solve a proportion to find the height, h, of the main building of the model of the White House.

Finding a Dimension on a Scale Model

GUIDED PRACTICE for Example 2

2. Eiffel Tower

The model of the Eiffel Tower in Tobu World Square is 12 meters high. Use the scale factor of 1 : 25 in Example 2 to estimate the height of the actual Eiffel Tower.

about 300 m.ANSWER

GUIDED PRACTICE

3. Carpenter Ants

A museum of natural history is making a scale model of a carpenter ant. The scale used is 12.5 cm : 1 mm. If the actual length of the ant is 6.4 mm, what is the length of the model?

80 cm.ANSWER

for Example 2