Final answer:
To solve for the width of the state prior to the beginning of regional extension, use the given formula and provided values. The final width does not appear to be twice the original width.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve for the width of the state prior to the beginning of regional extension, we'll use the given formula: Length = (Scale Length * Actual Width) / Scale Width. In this case, the scale length is 12.25 inches and the scale width is 0.5 inch. The actual width of the state is given as 320 miles. Plugging in these values, we get: Length = (12.25 * 320) / 0.5 = 7864 inches.
Intuitively, the final width of the state does not appear to be twice the original width. This is because the scale used on the map does not necessarily reflect a linear relationship between distance and size. The scale is just a ratio used for measurement, but the relationship between the size of the state and the distance on the map can vary.