1.) A map shows the distance between Dallas and Houston as 3 inches. The actual distance is 240 miles. If there are 63,360 inches in a mile, find the ratio of the distance on the map to the actual distance between Dallas and Houston.

Question

1.)  A map shows the distance between Dallas and Houston as 3 inches.  The actual distance is 240 miles.  If there are 63,360 inches in a mile, find the ratio of the distance on the map to the actual distance between Dallas and Houston.

anonymous · Answer

Houston, we have a problem. A-ha-ha...Oooookay.
But seriously, this is interesting. Here's how I came to a conclusion.

I made a proportion: (63,360 inches are to 1 mile) as (an UNKNOWN number of inches are to 240 miles).  

Another way to say this is: 

63360 in/1 mi = x in/240 miles

To find x, I cross multiplied these fractions and found that x was equal to 15,206,400 inches. This ridiculous number represents how many inches are in 240 miles. The question wants us to find the ratio of the distance on the MAP to the actual distance between Houston and Dallas. To find the ratio, we build the fraction: 3 in/15,206,400 in. 

Reduce that fraction, and we find that the ratio of the map distance to the actual distance is: 1 in/5,068,800 in.

How'd I do? :D