Scale factor
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A scale factor is a number which scales some quantity. In the equation [y=Cx], [C] is the scale factor for [x]. [C] is also the coefficient of [x], and may be called the constant of proportionality of [y] to [x]. For example, doubling distances corresponds to a scale factor of 2 for distance.
Scale factor is how many times the smaller figures line segments go into the bigger figures line segments.
Applications
There is also a scale factor for the expansion of the Universe.Computer Science
Scale factors are used in computer science when certain real world numbers need to be represented on a different scale in order to fit a required number format. See Scale Factor (Computer Science)Geometry
A scale factor can be used to scale shapes in 1, 2, or 3 dimensions (and conceptually even more.) There are a few interesting properties of scaling which are relevant:- The length of a line that is scaled is the previous length times the scale factor. In other words:
- The area of a shape in two-space (a circle, for example) is equal to the previous area times the square of the scale factor. In other words:
- The volume of a shape in three-space is equal to the cube of the scale factor times the initial volume. In other words:
- The scale factor also scales the coordinates of the centroid of a shape.
- The inverse of scaling a shape is scaling it again, with the reciprocal of the first factor.
See also
- Scale (ratio)
- Scale (map)
- Scales of scale models
- Scale (disambiguation)
- Scaling (geometry)
- Scalar (mathematics)
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