Final answer:
The contiguous 48 states cannot be represented on an 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch piece of paper at the scale given because the equivalent length at the scale of 1 inch = 172 miles would be approximately 16.87 inches, which exceeds the dimensions of the paper.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks whether a map of the contiguous 48 states of the United States, which covers a distance of 2,901 miles at its greatest length, can fit on an 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch piece of paper. Although the student's prior exercise details are not provided, we can estimate this by using standard map scale concepts. If 1/4 inch equals 43 miles, as mentioned in exercise #14, the scale is 1 inch = 172 miles (since 43 miles x 4 = 172 miles).
To find out if the entire contiguous states can fit on the specified paper size, we would divide the greatest length of 2,901 miles by the scale of 172 miles per inch, resulting in approximately 16.87 inches. This length is greater than both the width and height of the paper (8.5 inches and 11 inches respectively), therefore, the entire states cannot be represented on an 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch piece of paper at this scale.
Learn more about Map Scaling and Size Representation