Final answer:
The area of the larger square is four times greater than the area of the smaller square, with the side length of the larger square being twice that of the smaller one.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question concerns the comparison of areas between two squares when the dimensions of one square are doubled. To determine how the area of the larger square compares to the smaller one, we start by noting that the side length of the smaller square is 4 inches. Given that the dimensions of the larger square are twice that of the first square, the side length of the larger square is 8 inches. The area of the smaller square can be found by squaring its side length (4 inches × 4 inches = 16 square inches). Similarly, the area of the larger square is 8 inches × 8 inches = 64 square inches. Since the area of the larger square is 64 square inches and the area of the smaller square is 16 square inches, the area of the larger square is 4 times greater than that of the smaller square.