Answer:
Explanation:
The scale factor is the ratio of the corresponding sides of two similar figures. In other words, it is the number by which we multiply the length of one side of a figure to get the length of the corresponding side of the similar figure.
For example, if the scale factor between two similar triangles is 2, then the length of any side in the first triangle is twice the length of the corresponding side in the second triangle.
To find the scale factor, we can divide the length of a side in the first figure by the length of the corresponding side in the second figure. For example, if the length of the base of a triangle in the first figure is 10 cm and the length of the base of the corresponding triangle in the second figure is 20 cm, then the scale factor is 20/10 = 2.
Here are some examples of how to find the scale factor:
Example 1: The ratio of the corresponding sides of two similar triangles is 3:2. What is the scale factor?
The scale factor is 3/2 = 1.5.
Example 2: The length of the base of a triangle in the first figure is 12 cm and the length of the base of the corresponding triangle in the second figure is 24 cm. What is the scale factor?
The scale factor is 24/12 = 2.
Example 3: Two similar squares have sides of length 6 cm and 3 cm, respectively. What is the scale factor?
The scale factor is 6/3 = 2.