Scale Factor

Front

What is a scale factor?

Back

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

Front

If a scale drawing is 8 units wide and the original is 4 units wide, what is the scale factor?

Back

2:1

Front

What happens to a figure if the scale factor is greater than one?

Back

The figure will be enlarged.

Front

What does it mean for two figures to be similar?

Back

Two figures are similar if they have the same shape but not necessarily the same size, and their corresponding sides are in proportion.

Front

If the scale factor is 1:2, how does the new figure compare to the original?

Back

The new figure is a reduction of the original.

Front

What is the scale factor if a figure is enlarged from 5 units to 15 units?

Back

3:1

Front

If two similar triangles have sides of lengths 3 cm and 9 cm, what is the scale factor?

Back

3:1

Front

How do you find a missing side in similar figures?

Back

Set up a proportion using the known sides of the similar figures.

Front

If one side of a triangle is 4 cm and the corresponding side in a similar triangle is 12 cm, what is the scale factor?

Back

3:1

Front

What is the relationship between scale factor and area?

Back

If the scale factor is k, the area of the new figure is k² times the area of the original figure.