Final answer:
Mike used a proportional relationship to determine that he will need 18 ml of paint to create an enlarged 168 cm high Santa Claus, based on the 6 ml of paint used for the original 56 cm high version.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question about the quantity of paint used by Mike, a publicity painter, to paint an enlarged Christmas decoration on a store window relates to the concept of proportions in mathematics. Since Mike used 6 ml of paint for a 56 cm high Santa Claus, and he needs to paint an enlarged version that is 168 cm high, we can set up a proportional relationship to find the answer. We assume the height of the painted image is directly proportional to the quantity of paint used.
Let's denote the quantity of paint required for the 168 cm high Santa Claus as x ml. Using the ratio of the heights:
56 cm : 6 ml = 168 cm : x ml
Cross-multiply to find x:
56 * x = 168 * 6
Now solving for x, we get:
x = (168 * 6) / 56
x = 3 * 6
x = 18 ml
Therefore, Mike will use 18 ml of paint to create the enlarged version of Santa Claus that is 168 cm high.