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

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

Back

To find the scale factor, divide the length of a side of one figure by the length of the corresponding side of the other figure.

Front

If the scale factor is 2, what does that mean?

Back

It means that the new figure is twice as large as the original figure.

Front

If the scale factor is 1/2, what does that mean?

Back

It means that the new figure is half the size of the original figure.

Front

What is the scale factor from square A to square B if the side length of square A is 4 and the side length of square B is 8?

Back

The scale factor is 2.

Front

If a triangle has sides of lengths 3, 4, and 5, and is scaled by a factor of 3, what are the new side lengths?

Back

The new side lengths are 9, 12, and 15.

Front

What is the relationship between the areas of two similar figures and their scale factor?

Back

The area of the larger figure is equal to the square of the scale factor times the area of the smaller figure.

Front

If the scale factor is 4, and the area of the smaller figure is 10 square units, what is the area of the larger figure?

Back

The area of the larger figure is 160 square units.

Front

What is the scale factor from ΔABC to ΔDEF if the corresponding sides are 5 and 10?

Back

The scale factor is 2.

Front

If the side length of figure 1 is 6 and the corresponding side length in figure 2 is 3, what is the scale factor?

Back

The scale factor is 1/2.