Final answer:
The new width of the cell phone, assuming proportional scaling, will be 2.88 inches. This was determined by multiplying the original width of 2.4 inches by the scale factor of the length increase, which was 1.44 ÷ 1.2 equals 1.2.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the new width of the cell phone, we need to use the concept of proportional relationships between the lengths of the old and new phone. We are given that the old phone has a length of 1.2 inches and a width of 2.4 inches. The new phone will have a length of 1.44 inches. The scale factor for the length is the new length divided by the old length, which is 1.44 inches ÷ 1.2 inches = 1.2. Assuming the width will also be scaled by the same factor, we multiply the old width by the scale factor to find the new width: 2.4 inches × 1.2 = 2.88 inches.
The proportion for the width can be expressed as follows:
Width old ÷ Length old = Width new ÷ Length new
2.4 inches ÷ 1.2 inches = Width new ÷ 1.44 inches
By solving for the new width:
Width new = (2.4 inches × 1.44 inches) ÷ 1.2 inches
Therefore, the new width of the cell phone will be 2.88 inches.