The scale factor is a mathematical term used to describe the relationship between two figures that are proportional to each other. In other words, it represents the ratio of the lengths of the corresponding sides of two similar geometric figures.
For example, if we have two rectangles, one with dimensions of 6 cm by 8 cm and the other with dimensions of 3 cm by 4 cm, we can determine the scale factor between them by dividing the length of one pair of corresponding sides by the length of the other pair of corresponding sides:
Scale factor = (6 cm / 3 cm ) = (8 cm / 4 cm) = 2
Thus, the scale factor between these two rectangles is 2, indicating that the second rectangle is a scaled-down version of the first one. We can use the scale factor to determine other measurements of the second rectangle, for example, its area or perimeter.
Scale Factor
Definition and Example
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