text: if i have a square with sides of 2cm, and another one the same, then the scale factor is 1. Let us think of the first square as "1" (1x1 = 1) (the other square is also 1 because it is the same size)\n\nif there is my 2cm side square and then i bring over another square with 4cm sides, then the scale factor is 2. (it is twice as big)(1 x 2 =2) (1 is the first square, 2 is the second square, because it is twice as big as the square called one)\n\nTry this:\n\nThere is a square with sides 4cm long. (a)\nThere is another square with sides 12cm long. (b)\nWhat is the scale factor? (how many times bigger than a is b?\n\n\nThat's right - the scale factor is 3!!\n\nEmail me sundae552000-answers@yahoo.com.au\nif you want me to send a diagram.