If two polygons are similar, how can you find the scale factor from one polygon to the other?

1 Answer
George C.
Nov 29, 2015

The scale factor is the ratio of any linear dimension, e.g. the ratio of the length of a side in the scaled polygon and the corresponding side in the original one.

Explanation:

For example, the scale factor between the left hand polygon and the right hand polygon illustrated is #2/3#, which is the ratio of the lengths of the sides indicated by a red star.

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We could have picked any side or any other corresponding linear measurement - such as a line segment running connecting two vertices. We would find the same scale factor.

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