What is the scale factor?
Answers
Answer:
A scale factor is usually a decimal which scales, or multiplies, some quantity. In the equation y = Cx, C is the scale factor for x. C is also the coefficient of x, and may be called the constant of proportionality of y to x.
Step-by-step explanation:
SCALE FACTOR is used to scale shapes in different dimensions. In geometry, we learn about different geometrical shapes which both in two-dimension and three-dimension. The scale factor is a measure for similar figures, who look the same but have different scales or measures. Suppose, two circle looks similar but they could have varying radii.
The scale factor states the scale by which a figure is bigger or smaller than the original figure. It is possible to draw the enlarged shape or reduced shape of any original shape with the help of scale factor.
Scale Factor Formula
The formula for scale factor is given by:
Dimensions of Original Shape x scale Factor = Dimension of new shape
Scale factor = Dimension of New Shape/Dimension of Original Shape
Take an example of two squares having length-sides 6 unit and 3 unit respectively. Now, to find the scale factor follow the steps below.
Step 1: 6 x scale factor = 3
Step 2: Scale factor = 3/6 (Divide each side by 6).
Step 3: Scale factor = ½ =1:2(Simplified).
Hence, the scale factor from the larger Square to the smaller square is 1:2.
The scale factor can be used with various different shapes too.