SCALE FACTORS AND SIMILARITY Introducing scale factor
Enlargements and Reductions When you want to either enlarge or reduce the size of an object, you must do so by a constant factor. In other words, you must either decrease all dimensions by the same amount, or increase all dimensions by the same amount. If you don’t use a constant factor, the object will not be represented accurately.
Scale factor When we refer to a scale factor, we are talking about the constant factor by which all dimensions of an object are enlarged or reduced in a scale drawing. Example of an enlargement: Draw a rectangle that has a width of 1 cm and a length of 3 cm. Now draw the rectangle twice as large. Hmmm – how do you calculate that??? Simple: multiply each measurement by a scale factor of 2. (1 x 2 = 2and 3 x 2 = 6) Now you have a rectangle that is 2 cm wide and 6 cm long.
Scale factor Remember: when we refer to a scale factor, we are talking about the constant factor by which all dimensions of an object are enlarged or reduced in a scale drawing. Example of a reduction: Draw another rectangle that has a width of 1 cm and a length of 3 cm. Now draw the rectangle half as large. Hmmm – how do you calculate that??? Simple: multiply each measurement by a scale factor of.5. (1 x.5 =.5and 3 x.5 = 1.5) Now you have a rectangle that is.5 cm wide and 1.5 cm long.
Scale factor Scale factor indicates whether an object is either enlarged or reduced. A scale factor that is greater than 1 means that the object is being enlarged. A scale factor that is less than 1 indicates that the object is being reduced. A scale factor that is equal to 1 indicates that there is no change in the size of the object.
Using graph paper to enlarge and reduce Jewellery designers often use graph paper to enlarge designs while they are creating them. Interior designers often use graph paper to proportionately represent the layouts of rooms. Naturally, you could not make a blueprint the actual size of the room, so they use graph paper and use a reduced scale factor to show the layout.
Practice makes perfect Homework: Page 136 and 137 #4a, 5, 6b, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17a,b