Final answer:
To convert a temperature from degrees A (°A) to degrees B (°B), one can use the ratio of 0.8°B for every 1°A, which is derived from the freezing and boiling points of water on both scales. As a result, a temperature of 40°A would be equivalent to 32°B on the B scale.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve the problem of converting temperatures from degrees A (°A) to degrees B (°B), we will apply a ratio based on the provided information about the freezing and boiling points of water on both scales. If the freezing point is set at 0° on both scales and the boiling points are given for each scale, then we can establish a direct linear relationship between them.
Since we are given the freezing and boiling points of water for both scales, we know that the scale range between these two points on the Reaumur scale is 80°R, whereas on the Celsius scale it is 100°C. Thus, every 1 degree A (°A) corresponds to 1 degree on the Celsius scale (°C) and every 1 degree B (°B) corresponds to 0.8 degrees on the Reaumur scale (°R). From this information, we can derive a simple formula to convert temperatures between these two scales:
°B = (0.8 / 1) × °A
So, for a temperature of 40° A, the corresponding temperature on the B scale will be:
°B = (0.8 / 1) × 40° A = 32° B