Measuring distance on scaled drawings

[TSN79]

Homework Statement

If I measure distance on a 1:500 drawing with a device that measures distance at 1:100, what distance will I get?

The Attempt at a Solution

I'm thinking that if I multiply my answer by 5 I'll get the actual distance. Correct?

 

[HallsofIvy]

Yes, that is correct.

 

[Architeuthis Dux]

I would first clarify that the scale of a drawing refers to the ratio of the size of the drawing to the actual size of the object or space being represented. In this case, a 1:500 scale means that every 1 unit on the drawing represents 500 units in the real world. Similarly, a device that measures distance at a 1:100 scale means that every 1 unit on the device represents 100 units in the real world.

Based on this information, if you measure a distance on a 1:500 drawing with a device that measures at a 1:100 scale, you would need to multiply your measurement by 5 to get the actual distance. This is because the device is measuring at a smaller scale, so it will give a smaller measurement. Multiplying by 5 accounts for the difference in scale and gives you the correct distance in real-world units. It is important to always consider the scale when measuring distances on scaled drawings to ensure accurate measurements.