Final answer:
Using a scale factor of 2in:10ft, an 8-inch tall drawing represents a 40-foot tall building in real life. Reduction examples include maps, while enlargement examples could be microscopic organisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Kevin is drawing a building using a scale factor of 2 inches to 10 feet. To find how tall the building is in real life, we set up a proportion using the given scale factor. First, we write the unit scale as a ratio, which in this case is 1 inch equals 5 feet (since 2 inches equals 10 feet).
Next, we compare the scale height to the actual height using the ratio. The drawing is 8 inches tall, so our proportion will be:
- 1 inch / 5 feet = 8 inches / x feet
After setting up the proportion, we cross multiply to solve for 'x', which represents the actual height of the building.
1 inch * x feet = 8 inches * 5 feet.
x feet = 8 inches * 5 feet / 1 inch.
x feet = 40 feet.
Therefore, the actual height of the building is 40 feet.
To visualize things that need to be reduced to see, one might imagine details on a map or a complex machine being scaled down. Conversely, for things that are enlarged to see, consider items like bacteria under a microscope, where enlargement is necessary to study their structure.