To find the actual distance between City X and City Y, we can use the given scale to convert the distance from inches to miles.

Given:

• Scale: $\frac{1}{4}$ inch = 15 miles
• Distance on the map between City X and City Y = 5 inches

Steps:

1. Determine how many $\frac{1}{4}$ inch units are in 5 inches: $\text{Number of units} = \frac{5}{\frac{1}{4}} = 5 \times 4 = 20$
2. Multiply the number of units by 15 miles (the distance represented by each $\frac{1}{4}$ inch): $\text{Actual distance} = 20 \times 15 = 300 \text{ miles}$

Conclusion:

The actual distance between City X and City Y is 300 miles.

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Would you like more details on this calculation? Here are 5 related questions:

1. How do you calculate the distance using different scales?
2. If the distance was 7 inches on the map, what would be the actual distance?
3. How would you determine the scale if you knew the actual distance?
4. What would the distance be if the scale was $\frac{1}{8}$ inch = 15 miles?
5. How can scale drawings be used in real-world applications?

Tip: Always check the scale carefully when interpreting distances on maps or diagrams, as it can vary significantly.