Question

Rob is making a scale model of the Solar System on the school field.

He wants the distance from the Sun to Jupiter to be 8 metres on his scale model.
The real distance from the Sun to Jupiter is 7.8 × 10° kilometres.
(a) Find the scale of the model.
Give your answer in the form 1: n, where n is written in standard form.

Answer 1

The scale model for the scenario is 1 : 97500000

Using the parameters given

• Actual distance = 7.8 × 10⁸
• Distance on model = 8 meters

The ratio of the distance on model to the actual distance can be expressed as ;

• 8 : (7.8 × 10⁸)

divide both sides by 8

• 1 : 97500000

Therefore, the scale model is 1 : 97500000