Lengths in Pictures

Date: 4/5/96 at 20:35:53
From: Anonymous
Subject: ratio

A picture of an insect is k times the actual size.  If the leg on 
the picture is 3cm long, how long is the leg on the actual 
inesct?

Is the answer 3k?  Please help.

Thank you very muck.

rishabh from Malaysia

Date: 4/7/96 at 19:44:32
From: Doctor Sebastien
Subject: Re: ratio

Hi.

If the picture is k times the actual size, then that means that 
if something is of size 1 in the real world, then it is of size k 
on the picture.

Thus, if something is of size 3cm on the picture, its actual size
is 3/k cm.

-Doctor Sebastien,  The Math Forum

Date: 4/8/96 at 8:34:35
From: Anonymous
Subject: Re: ratio

Dear Dr. Math,

Thank you very much for the answer.

Rishabh from Malaysia