A model plane is 1/48 the size of the actual plane. If the model plane is 28 inches long, how long is the actual plane?

1 Answer
Tony B
May 30, 2017

112 feet

Explanation:

The particular wording of the question is stating that the model is the fraction 1/48"th" of the whole plane. In other words, this is a fraction. Not a ratio. The two are quite different.

Let the actual length of the plane be x in inches.

Then we have:

1/48xx x=28

Multiply both sides by color(red)(48) - gets the x on its own.

color(green)(1/48 xx xcolor(red)(xx48)" "=" "28color(red)(xx48))

color(green)((color(red)(48))/48 xx x" "=" "28color(red)(xx48))

But 48/48=1 and 1xx x=x

x=1344" inches"

To change this into feet we need to determine how many lots of 12 inches we can fit into 1344 inches (12 inches = 1 foot).

1344/12=112 feet

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