Final answer:
To find the actual length of the airplane, we use the given scale of the model airplane, 2:85, and the model length of 45 cm to set up a proportion (2/85 = 45/x). Solving for x, we get x = 1912.5 cm or 19.125 meters, which is the actual length of the plane.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve the question, the scale of the model airplane, which is 2:85, needs to be applied to find the actual length of the plane. The scale means that every 2 units of model length correspond to 85 units of actual length. To find the actual length, we set up a proportion using the model length given, 45 cm:
- Model Scale: 2
- Actual Scale: 85
- Model Length: 45 cm
We solve for the actual length using the proportion:
2/85 = 45/x
Multiply both sides by x to get:
2x = 45 × 85
Now divide both sides by 2 to find x:
x = (45 × 85) / 2
x = 1912.5
So, the actual length of the airplane is 1912.5 cm or 19.125 meters.