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 the scale factor is 4, what does that mean?

Back

It means that every dimension of the figure is multiplied by 4, making the figure 4 times larger than the original.

Front

How do you find the scale factor from one figure to another?

Back

Use the formula: Scale Factor = New Measurement / Original Measurement.

Front

What is the scale factor if the original length is 5 cm and the new length is 15 cm?

Back

The scale factor is 3, calculated as 15 cm / 5 cm.

Front

If a triangle has a scale factor of 2, what happens to its area?

Back

The area of the triangle increases by a factor of 2^2 = 4.

Front

What is the scale factor from square A to square B if the side length of square A is 3 cm and square B is 9 cm?

Back

The scale factor is 3, calculated as 9 cm / 3 cm.

Front

If the scale is 1 in = 300 miles, what is the actual distance for 3 inches?

Back

The actual distance is 900 miles, calculated as 3 in * 300 miles/in.

Front

What does it mean if a scale factor is less than 1?

Back

It means the new figure is smaller than the original figure.

Front

If you multiply each side of a rectangle by 2, what is the scale factor?

Back

The scale factor is 2.

Front

What is the relationship between scale factor and similarity in figures?

Back

Similar figures have the same shape but different sizes, and the ratio of corresponding lengths is the scale factor.