What is the scale of lengths on diagrams for a ripple tank?

[ellieee]

Homework Statement

does the scale mean that 2cm on paper = 4cm in real life / as answer ? I measured the yellow line to be 2cm, which would mean 4cm as answer right?
but then for question ci, when asked to calculate wavelength, answer is 2cm.

Relevant Equations

measuring wavelength only

 

[DaveC426913]

The scale (circled in orange) is not part of Fig 1.1 (top).

Fig 1.1 specifically says "not to scale".

The scale (circled in orange) is part of Fig 1.2 (bottom).

 

[TSny]

The scale shown applies to the lower diagram only. Any distance in the lower diagram that matches the distance between the two tick marks on the scale would represent an actual distance of 4 cm.

 

[Lnewqban]

The scale means that the representation on paper of the ripple tank is smaller than its real dimensions.

The top of the page is about 20 cm wide and that segment of line representing 4 cm can be placed more than five times along that edge of the sheet; therefore, this scale is a reduction scale, which proportion is the length of that represented segment divided by the actual length of 4 cm.

The real life ripple tank and the distances among valleys of the waves are bigger in real life than represented on paper.