Question

A photograph of a bacteria enlarged 50,000 times attains a length of 5 cm as shown in the diagram. What is the actual length of the bacteria? If the photograph is enlarged 20,000 times only, what would be its enlarged length?

Answer 1

Let the photograph of the bacteria be magnified 20,000 times, then the magnified length = x, ratio of the both

The given information, in the form of a table, is as follows:

Therefore, we obtain

Then 550000 = `x/(20,000)`

on multiplying thunderbolts

Length of bacteria (in cm)	5	x
Bacteria enlarged	50,000	20,000

50000 × x = 20000 × 5

`x = (20,000 × 5)/(50,000)`

x = 2

Hence, magnified length of bacteria = 2 cm