- Scale factor
A scale factor is a number which scales, or multiplies, some quantity. In the equation , is the scale factor for . is also the
coefficient of , and may be called theconstant of proportionality of to . For example, doubling distances corresponds to a scale factor of 2 for distance.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 factor can be used to scale
shapes in 1, 2, or 3dimension s (and conceptually even more.) There are a few interesting properties of scaling which are relevant:
*Thelength of a line that is scaled is the previous length times the scale factor. In other words:.
*Thearea 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:.
*Thevolume 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 thecoordinate s of thecentroid of a shape.
*The inverse of scaling a shape is scaling it again, with the reciprocal of the first factor.ee also
*
Scale (ratio)
*Scale (map)
* Scales of scale models
*Scale (disambiguation)
*Scaling (geometry)
*Scalar (mathematics)
*
* Scaling in statistical estimation
*Scale factor (Universe)
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