DD. 3 Scale drawings: scale factor word problems KCM Desmond made a scale drawing of an office building. A desk, which is 5 feet long in real life, is 10 inches long in the drawing. What is the drawing's scale factor? [x], Simplify your answer and write it as a fraction. \( \square \) Submit

To find the scale factor, you need to express the scaled measurement relative to the actual measurement. The real desk is 5 feet long, which is equivalent to 60 inches (since 1 foot = 12 inches). So, the scale factor compares 10 inches (drawing) to 60 inches (real): Scale factor = \(\frac{10 \text{ inches}}{60 \text{ inches}} = \frac{1}{6}\). So, the scale factor for Desmond's drawing is \(\frac{1}{6}\). To avoid confusion with measurements, always convert real-life dimensions to the same units as your drawing before calculating the scale factor. A common mistake is to forget that there are 12 inches in a foot, which can lead to a wrong scale factor. Always double-check your unit conversions for accuracy!