Question

a photograph of a triangular object and an enlargement are shown below. the length n of the missing side in the enlargement is ______ inches. (write the answer as a decimal.) the solution is

Explanation:

Step1: Identify similar triangles

Since the two triangles are an object and its enlargement, they are similar. For similar triangles, the ratios of corresponding sides are equal.

Step2: Set up proportion

Let the side of length 4 in the small - triangle correspond to the side of length 10 in the large - triangle, and assume the missing side in the large - triangle corresponds to a side of length 4 in the small - triangle. The proportion is $\frac{4}{10}=\frac{4}{n}$.

Step3: Solve the proportion

Cross - multiply: $4n = 4\times10$. Then $4n=40$, and $n=\frac{40}{4}=10$.

Answer:

10.0