Math  /  Algebra

Question6 A science museum has a scale model of a ladybug. In the model, 50 centimeters represents 9 millimeters. The length of the model is 1 meter. How long is the actual ladybug?

Studdy Solution

STEP 1

What is this asking? How many millimeters long is a real ladybug if its 1-meter-long model represents 50 cm for every 9 mm? Watch out! The model and real ladybug lengths are in different units, so we need to be careful!
Also, the model length is given in meters, but the scale is in centimeters.
Don't mix them up!

STEP 2

1. Convert units
2. Set up a proportion
3. Solve for the actual length

STEP 3

Alright, first things first!
We've got a **model ladybug** that's **1 meter** long.
But our scale is in **centimeters**.
So, let's convert that model length to centimeters.
Remember, there are **100 centimeters** in **1 meter**.

STEP 4

So, we multiply: 1 meter100 centimeters1 meter=100 centimeters.1 \text{ meter} \cdot \frac{100 \text{ centimeters}}{1 \text{ meter}} = 100 \text{ centimeters}. Our **model** is **100 cm** long!

STEP 5

Now, the problem tells us that **50 cm** on the **model** represents **9 mm** on the **actual ladybug**.
This gives us a ratio: 50 cm (model)9 mm (actual).\frac{50 \text{ cm (model)}}{9 \text{ mm (actual)}}.

STEP 6

We want to find out how many millimeters the **actual ladybug** is if the **model** is **100 cm**.
Let's call the **actual length** 'xx'.
Our proportion is: 50 cm9 mm=100 cmx mm.\frac{50 \text{ cm}}{9 \text{ mm}} = \frac{100 \text{ cm}}{x \text{ mm}}.

STEP 7

To solve for xx, we can **cross-multiply**: 50x=9100.50 \cdot x = 9 \cdot 100.

STEP 8

This simplifies to: 50x=900.50x = 900.

STEP 9

Now, we want to **isolate** xx, so we **divide both sides** by **50**: 50x50=90050.\frac{50x}{50} = \frac{900}{50}.

STEP 10

This gives us: x=90050=905=18.x = \frac{900}{50} = \frac{90}{5} = 18.

STEP 11

The actual ladybug is **18 mm** long!

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