Suppose that 18 inches of wire costs 72 cents.
At the same rate, how much (in cents) will 11 inches of wire cost?
To find the cost of 11 inches of wire, we can set up a proportion using the given ratio of cost to length:
18 inches of wire costs 72 cents
Let x be the cost of 11 inches of wire.
Using the proportion:
18 inches / 72 cents = 11 inches / x cents
Cross-multiplying:
18x = 11 * 72
18x = 792
Dividing both sides by 18:
x = 44
Therefore, 11 inches of wire will cost 44 cents.