Question

A covered bridge is 8 yards long. In a painting for sale at a gallery, the bridge in the painting to the actual length of the bridge. One salesperson says the ratio in simplest form is 5/8. Another salesperson says the ratio in simplest form is 5/24. Which ratio is correct? What error leads to the incorrect ratio?

Answer 1

Answer:

The ratio that is correct is 5/24.

The error that leads to the incorrect ratio is working with the different units of length.

Step-by-step explanation:

Here is the complete question:

A covered bridge is 8 yards long. In a painting for sale at a​ gallery, the bridge is 5 feet long. A customer wants to know the ratio of the length of the bridge in the painting to the actual length of the bridge. One salesperson says the ratio in simplest form is 5/8 Another salesperson says the ratio in simplest form is 5/24 Which ratio is​ correct? What error leads to the incorrect​ ratio?

Step-by-step explanation:

From the question,

A covered bridge is 8 yards long and in a painting at the gallery, the bridge is 5 feet long.

To determine the ratio of the length of the bridge in the painting to the actual length of the bridge,

First, we will convert both lengths to the same unit and then divide the length of the bridge in the painting by the actual length of the bridge.

Convert 8 yards to feet

1 yard = 3 feet

∴ 8 yards = (8 × 3) feet = 24 feet

The actual length of the bridge is 24 feet

The length of the bridge in the painting is 5 feet

Hence, the ratio of the length of the bridge in the painting to the actual length of the bridge is 5 feet ÷ 24 feet = 5/24

Hence, the ratio that is correct is 5/24.

The error that leads to the incorrect ratio is working with the different units of length (that is, not converting both length to the same unit before determining the ratio).