Question

the square on the right is a scaled copy of the square on the left. identify the scale factor. express your answer as a whole number or fraction in simplest form.

Explanation:

Step1: Recall scale factor formula

The scale factor is the ratio of the length of the scaled copy to the length of the original figure. Let the original square (left) have side length \( l_1 = 3 \) and the scaled copy (right) have side length \( l_2 = 12 \). The formula for scale factor \( k \) is \( k=\frac{l_2}{l_1} \).

Step2: Calculate the scale factor

Substitute \( l_1 = 3 \) and \( l_2 = 12 \) into the formula: \( k=\frac{12}{3} \). Simplifying the fraction, \( \frac{12}{3}=4 \).

Answer:

\( 4 \)