North Carolina Building Contractor License Practice Exam

Using a 1/4 inch scale, what does 3-3/4 inches represent?

1. 2 inches

2. 2-1/4 inches

3. 3 inches

4. 3-1/4 inches

The correct answer is: 2-1/4 inches

To understand what 3-3/4 inches represents when using a 1/4 inch scale, it’s important to recognize how scale measurements work. A 1/4 inch scale means that every 1/4 inch on the scale represents 1 actual inch in real life. When you are given a measurement of 3-3/4 inches, this needs to be converted into the scale representation. To do this, you divide the entire measurement by the scale factor. Since the scale is 1/4 inch = 1 inch, you'll multiply the total measurement of 3-3/4 inches by the scale factor, essentially calculating how many quarter inches fit into your actual measurement. First, convert 3-3/4 inches to an improper fraction for easier calculations: 3-3/4 = 3 + 0.75 = 3.75 inches or 15/4 inches. Now, to find out how many inches this represents in the scaled version: 15/4 inches, when considered at a 1/4 inch scale, is: (15/4) ÷ (1/4) = 15. So, that measurement of 3-3/4 inches translates to 15