Question

An engineer is using computer-aided design (CAD) software to design a component for a space shuttle. The scale of the drawing is 1 cm : 60 in. The actual length of the component is 12.75 feet. What is the length of the component in the drawing?

Answer 1

Answer: 2.55 cm

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Work Shown

1 foot = 12 inches

12.75 ft = 12.75*12 inches = 153 inches

The scale of 1 cm : 60 in allows us to form the proportion below

(1 cm)/(60 in) = (x cm)/(153 in)

1/60 = x/153

1*153 = 60*x ..... cross multiply

153 = 60x

60x = 153

x = 153/60

x = 2.55

The length of the component in the drawing is 2.55 cm

Side note: This is equivalent to 25.5 mm since 1 cm = 10 mm (ie you multiply by 10 to go from cm to mm).