On a map, two cities are four and one-fourth inches apart. The scale of the map is one-half inch = three miles. What is the actual distance between the towns?
3/1.5 = x/4.25
Solve for x.
To find the actual distance between the two cities, we can use the scale given on the map.
According to the scale, one-half inch on the map represents three miles in real life.
First, let's calculate the distance on the map. The cities are four and one-fourth inches apart. To convert this to a fraction, we have 4 + (1/4) inches. Multiplying the whole number by the denominator and adding the numerator, we get 4*4 + 1 = 17/4 inches.
Now, we can use the scale to convert inches on the map to miles in real life. Since 1/2 inch on the map represents 3 miles, we need to set up a proportion:
(17/4) inches / (1/2) inch = x miles / 3 miles
To simplify the proportion, cross-multiply:
(17/4) * (2/1) = x * (3/1)
34/4 = 3x
Now, divide both sides by 3:
34/4 / 3 = x
17/6 = x
Therefore, the actual distance between the two cities is 17/6 miles.