+0  
 
0
2628
5
avatar

how to find the scale factor

 Jun 11, 2014

Best Answer 

 #1
avatar+3454 
+10

When we are trying to find a scale factor, we will have two objects that are basically the same, but one is bigger than the other.

(note: these squares are not to scale)

 

The scale factor is simply what we could multiply one of the objects by to get the other one. For example, if we had the area of the square on the right, we could multiply the scale factor to find the area of of square on the left.

Now, your asking, how do we find the scale factor?

We need to find an corrosponding legnth from our squares, and make it a ratio.

So we can look at our example here, and we can see that the first square last a legnth of 1, whereas the second square has a legnth of 5. Let's make this a ratio!

1/5

This is basically saying that the first square is 1/5 the size of the second square. And it is our scale factor.

The scale factor could also be 5/1, or just 5, and this is just saying that the second square is 5 times the size of the first square.

 

How we might use this scale factor is to find the height of the second square in the example picture. The height is unknown (x), but we can figure this out.

We know that the first square is 1/5 the size of the second square, or in other words, the second square is 5 times bigger than the first square. Knowing this we could multiply the hieght of the first square(4) by 5 to find the height of the second square, so the height of the second square is 20!

 

Also, scale factors doesn't have to just apply to squares, it can apply to triangles, circles, etc!

 

If this didn't make any sence at all, here's a video that explains it pretty well: http://www.virtualnerd.com/pre-algebra/ratios-proportions/similar-figures-indirect-measurement/similar-figures/find-scale-factor-similar-figures

 Jun 11, 2014
 #1
avatar+3454 
+10
Best Answer

When we are trying to find a scale factor, we will have two objects that are basically the same, but one is bigger than the other.

(note: these squares are not to scale)

 

The scale factor is simply what we could multiply one of the objects by to get the other one. For example, if we had the area of the square on the right, we could multiply the scale factor to find the area of of square on the left.

Now, your asking, how do we find the scale factor?

We need to find an corrosponding legnth from our squares, and make it a ratio.

So we can look at our example here, and we can see that the first square last a legnth of 1, whereas the second square has a legnth of 5. Let's make this a ratio!

1/5

This is basically saying that the first square is 1/5 the size of the second square. And it is our scale factor.

The scale factor could also be 5/1, or just 5, and this is just saying that the second square is 5 times the size of the first square.

 

How we might use this scale factor is to find the height of the second square in the example picture. The height is unknown (x), but we can figure this out.

We know that the first square is 1/5 the size of the second square, or in other words, the second square is 5 times bigger than the first square. Knowing this we could multiply the hieght of the first square(4) by 5 to find the height of the second square, so the height of the second square is 20!

 

Also, scale factors doesn't have to just apply to squares, it can apply to triangles, circles, etc!

 

If this didn't make any sence at all, here's a video that explains it pretty well: http://www.virtualnerd.com/pre-algebra/ratios-proportions/similar-figures-indirect-measurement/similar-figures/find-scale-factor-similar-figures

NinjaDevo Jun 11, 2014
 #2
avatar+3454 
+5

Sorry for the long explanation, I kind-of wrote you a book here. :)

 Jun 11, 2014
 #3
avatar+129852 
+3

All it lacks is a Foreword, a Table of Contents and an Index   ... !!!

Very Good explanation......points and thumbs up.......

 Jun 11, 2014
 #4
avatar+3454 
0

Good one CPhill,

I'll have to remember that for the next time I write a long explanation. :)

 Jun 11, 2014
 #5
avatar+118677 
0

Thumbs up from me too!

 Jun 12, 2014

2 Online Users

avatar