Question

Luke says that the scale factor relating two figures is 0.6. Paula says the scale factor is 5/3. If Paula is correct, explain why Luke is incorrect.

Answer 1

Answer:

• Luke is incorrect because he stated the ratio of the smaller figure to the bigger one instead that the ratio of the bigger figures to the smaller one.

Explanation:

Start by converting the decimal number, 0.6, to a fraction:

          $0.6=6/10=3/5$

As you see, the scale factor stated by Luke is just the inverse of that stated by Paula, 5/3.

If Paula is correct, it means that Luke related the figures on the opposite direction. This is, Paula correctly  stated the ratio of the bigger figure to the smaller one, 5 : 3, while, Luke, incorrectly, stated the ratio of the smaller figure to the bigger one.