On a city map, 2 inches represent 10 miles. The library and the bank are 5 inches apart on the map. What is the actual distance between the library and the bank?

1 Answer
Johnson Z.
Apr 26, 2016

#25# miles

Explanation:

Start by making a "let" statement to represent the variable, #x#, as the actual distance between the library and the bank.

Let #x# represent the actual distance between the library and the bank.

To determine the actual distance between the library and the bank, we can set up a ratio.

#(2color(white)(i)"inches")/(10color(white)(i)"miles")=(5color(white)(i)"inches")/x#

Note: This simply means: #2# inches per #10# miles equals to how many miles per #5# inches.

Solve for #x#.

#x=5color(white)(i)"inches"-:(2color(white)(i)"inches")/(10color(white)(i)"miles")#

#x=5color(white)(i)"inches"xx(10color(white)(i)"miles")/(2color(white)(i)"inches")#

#x=5color(white)(i)color(red)cancelcolor(black)("inches")xx(10color(white)(i)"miles")/(2color(white)(i)color(red)cancelcolor(black)("inches"))#

#x=5xx(10color(white)(i)"miles")/2#

#x=color(green)(|bar(ul(color(white)(a/a)25color(white)(i)"miles"color(white)(a/a)|)))#

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