Question

On a scale drawing 2 centimeters represent 50 meters. How many centimeters represent 5 meters?

Answer 1

0.2

Explanation:

2 = 50

x = 5

50/5 = 10

do the same on the other side

so 2/10 = 0.2

Answer 2

0.2 centimeters

Explanation:
Strategy 1:

Make the equation: 5=a•s, where s is the scale factor and "a" is the number of centimeters which 5 meters

First, we need to find the scale factor. 50 meters would be s times greater than 2 centimeters. Find s by first converting meters into centimeters
50m=5000cm. 5000cm=2cm*s, so s = 2500
5m=a*2500, a=0.002 meters, and 0.002 meters is equal to 0.2 centimeters.

Strategy 2:
the ratio of the scale drawing to real life will always stay the same, so
2 cm / 50 meters = x / 5 meters, and cross multiply to get
x cm* 50 m = 2 cm * 5 m, so
x cm * 10 = 2 cm
x cm = 2/10 cm
x cm = 0.2 cm

Strategy 3:
Notice that 5 meters is 10 times smaller than 50 meters, so on the scale drawing, we are looking for a number 10 times smaller than 2 centimeters, so 2/10=0.2 cm