1. What is Scale Factor?

The scale factor is the ratio between corresponding measurements of an object and a representation of that object. It describes how much a figure is enlarged or reduced.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the scale factor formula:

Where:

• \( \text{new\_size} \) — The scaled dimension (units)
• \( \text{original\_size} \) — The original dimension (units)

Explanation: A scale factor greater than 1 indicates enlargement, while a factor between 0 and 1 indicates reduction.

3. Importance of Scale Factor

Details: Scale factors are crucial in architecture, engineering, model making, and computer graphics to maintain proportional relationships when resizing objects.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both new size and original size in the same units. Values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a scale factor of 1 mean?
A: A scale factor of 1 means the object remains the same size (no scaling).

Q2: How is scale factor different from percentage?
A: Scale factor is a direct ratio, while percentage is scale factor multiplied by 100. A factor of 0.5 equals 50%.

Q3: Can scale factor be negative?
A: In this basic calculation, no. Negative factors would require more complex transformations.

Q4: How does scale factor apply to area and volume?
A: For area, square the scale factor. For volume, cube the scale factor.

Q5: What's the difference between uniform and non-uniform scaling?
A: Uniform scaling uses the same factor for all dimensions, while non-uniform uses different factors.