Scale Factor

Front

What is a scale factor?

Back

A scale factor is a number that scales, or multiplies, some quantity. It is used to determine how much larger or smaller a figure is compared to another figure.

Front

If a scale factor is greater than 1, what happens to the figure?

Back

The figure is enlarged.

Front

If a scale factor is less than 1, what happens to the figure?

Back

The figure is reduced.

Front

What does it mean for two figures to be scaled copies of each other?

Back

It means that one figure can be obtained from the other by multiplying all dimensions by the same scale factor.

Front

How do you find the scale factor between two similar figures?

Back

Divide the length of a side of the larger figure by the length of the corresponding side of the smaller figure.

Front

If the scale factor from Triangle A to Triangle B is 2, what does this mean?

Back

It means that Triangle B is twice as large as Triangle A.

Front

What is the scale factor from ΔDEF to ΔABC if the sides of ΔDEF are half the length of the corresponding sides of ΔABC?

Back

1/2

Front

If the scale factor is 3, what is the relationship between the areas of the two figures?

Back

The area of the larger figure is 3^2 = 9 times the area of the smaller figure.

Front

What is the scale factor if a rectangle's length is increased from 4 m to 12 m?

Back

The scale factor is 3.

Front

If a figure has a scale factor of 1/4, what happens to its dimensions?

Back

All dimensions are reduced to one-fourth of their original size.