Willis Tower in Chicago is 1450 feet tall. The John Handcock Center, also in Chicago, is 1127 feet tall. Suppose you are able to make a small-scale replica of each.

Question

If you make the Willis Tower 3 meters tall, what would be the approximate height of the John Hancock replica? Round answer to the nearest hundredth.

Answer 1

This type of problem is just a matter of conversion.

Real scale:

Willis Tower = 1450 feet tall

John Handcock Center = 1127 feet tall

Replica:

Willis Tower = 3 meters tall

John Handcock Center = x meters tall

With conversion, we can rewrite this into fractions:

1450 / 1127 = 3 / x OR 1127 / 1450 = x / 3

Keep in mind that both conversions represent the same thing. Make sure that the numerators represent the same thing and the denominators represent the other thing. Stay consistent.

Now just solve for x:

1127 / 1450 * 3 = x

x = 0.777 * 3 = 2.33

The approximate height of the John Hancock replica is 2.33 meters tall.