Final answer:
To determine the total length of the race, you set up a proportion based on the given fraction of the race length and then solve for the full race length. The equation reveals that if 1/4 of a race is 1/8 of a mile, then the total race length is 1/2 mile.
Step-by-step explanation:
If 1/4 of a race is 1/8 of a mile long, we can set up a simple equation to find the length of the entire race. Let's define the total length of the race as X miles. Based on the given information, we have the proportion:
1/4*X = 1/8
To solve for X, we multiply both sides of the equation by 4:
4*(1/4)*X = 4*(1/8)
X = 1/2
Therefore, the total length of the race is 1/2 mile.