Final answer:
By setting up a proportion based on the relationship between body length and tail length of a known alligator, we find that the tail length of an alligator with a body length of 4.3 feet is approximately 4.79 feet.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has asked for the tail length of an alligator based on a proportional relationship with another alligator. We know an alligator with a body length of 7.9 feet has a tail length of 8.8 feet. We can use this information to find the tail length of an alligator whose body length is 4.3 feet.
To solve this, we set up a proportion where the two ratios are equivalent: body length to tail length. For the known alligator, the ratio is 7.9 (body) to 8.8 (tail), and for the unknown alligator, it is 4.3 (body) to x (tail), where x is the tail length we are trying to find.
Using the proportion 7.9/8.8 = 4.3/x, we cross-multiply to solve for x:
- (7.9) × (x) = (8.8) × (4.3)
- 7.9x = 37.84
- x = 37.84 / 7.9
- x ≈ 4.79 feet
Therefore, the tail length of the alligator with a body length of 4.3 feet is approximately 4.79 feet.