To find the scale factor between the actual sandbox and its printed photo, we can compare the lengths of the sides of the hexagon in both the real sandbox and the photo.
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Actual Sandbox Side Length:
- Each side of the actual sandbox is 40 inches.
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Printed Photo Side Length:
- Each side of the printed photo is 4 inches.
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Calculate the Scale Factor: The scale factor is found by taking the ratio of the length of a side in the photo to the length of a side in the actual sandbox.
\[ \text{Scale Factor} = \frac{\text{Length in Photo}}{\text{Length in Actual Sandbox}} = \frac{4 \text{ inches}}{40 \text{ inches}} = \frac{4}{40} = \frac{1}{10} \]
- Expressing the Scale Factor as a Decimal: \[ \frac{1}{10} = 0.1 \]
Thus, the scale factor used to create the printed photo of the sandbox is
\[ \boxed{0.1} \]