need help with my math word problem

Question

If Emilio  has an 8-inch by 10-inch picture that he wants to enlarge to 1.5 times its original size,what will be the dimenision of the new picture.

A-4inches by 5 inches

B-8 inches by 10 inches 

C-12 inches by 15 inches

D-24inches by 30 inches

Answer 1

The answer is C but I don't like this answer and I will tell you why.

 

To get this answer your took the measure of 8 and multiplied by 1.5 to get 12 and the measure of 10 and multiplied by 1.5 and got 15.  So the answer C is 12 x 15.

 

I would have normally taken the original measurement of 8x10 = 80 and multiplied that by 1.5 yielding 120 inches sq area and this is not what you get when you multiply 12 x 15, which is instead 180.

 

The question is ambiguous regarding how we are increasing the size, interested to hear what your teacher says about the answer.

 

Since 120 is not one of the solutions it is clear they are looking for 180 which is answer C.

 

All the best

 

Lori

 

 

Answer 2

"1.5 TIMES its original size" means multiply the original size (8 in by 10 in) by 1.5.  For example, if the picture was 4 in by 6 in, then enlarging it by 1.5 would mean making the new picture (4·1.5) by (6·1.5), or equivalently, 6 by 9.