Answer:
2.3333 inches
Explanation:
To find the appropriate scale factor, we need to determine how many times smaller the piece of paper is compared to the dog. We can start by finding the ratio of the length of the paper to the length of the dog:
3 inches / 9 inches = 1/3
Similarly, the ratio of the width of the paper to the height of the dog is:
5 inches / 7 inches = 5/7
So, the smaller of these two ratios, 1/3, is the appropriate scale factor for Meredith to use in her drawing. This means that the length of the dog in the drawing will be 9 inches * 1/3 = 3 inches, and the height will be 7 inches * 1/3 = 2.3333 inches.