Final answer:
The scale factor is 9. Correct option is C.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the scale factor, we need to find the ratio of the new area to the original area. The new area is given as 72 square centimeters, and the original area is 8 square centimeters. Therefore, the scale factor can be found by dividing the new area by the original area: 72/8 = 9.
So, the scale factor is 9.