SOLUTION: There are two similar erasers, yellow eraser is 16cm and has surface area of 52, and the white eraser is 2cm,find the surface area?

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Question 892899: There are two similar erasers, yellow eraser is 16cm and has surface area of 52, and the white eraser is 2cm,find the surface area?
Answer by Theo(13342) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
if the figures are similar then their sides are proportional.

a side of the yellow eraser is equal to 16.
the corresponding side of the white eraser is 2.
the ratio of the sides is y/w = 8/1.
this means that the yellow eraser is larger than the white eraser by a factor of 8.

if the object are similar with a ratio of 8:1, then their areas are proportional with a ratio of (8/1)^2 and their volumes are proportional with a ratio of (8/1)^3

this means the surface area of the yellow eraser is 64 times the surface area of the white eraser.

this means that the surface area of the white eraser has to be equal to .8125 because .8125 * 64 = 52.