Question

Two houses are 1.5 inches apart on a map. The actual distance between the houses is 10.8 miles. What is the scale of the map?

Answer 1

I inch = 7.2 miles

Explanation:

Proportion method is applied:

1.5 inches on a map = 10.8 miles of actual distance

∴ 1 inches on the map = x miles of the actual distance

Cross-multiplication is applied:

(1.5 inches)(x miles) = (1 inch)(10.8 miles)

x needs to be isolated and made the subject of the equation:

x miles =
`((1 inch)(10.8 miles))/(1,5 inches)`

Inches in the numerator and denominator will cancel eachother out:

x miles =
`(10.8 miles)/(1.5)`

x miles = 7.2 miles

∴ Scale on the map:

1 inch = 7.2 miles