text: what is a scale factor? i have this math thing due tommorow gah! i need to know what is a scale factor. if i have a square with sides of 2cm, and another one the same, then the scale factor is 1. let us think of the first square as "1" (1x1 = 1) (the other square is also 1 because it is the same size)  if there is my 2cm side square and then i bring over another square with 4cm sides, then the scale factor is 2. (it is twice as big)(1 x 2 =2) (1 is the first square, 2 is the second square, because it is twice as big as the square called one)  try this:  there is a square with sides 4cm long. (a) there is another square with sides 12cm long. (b) what is the scale factor? (how many times bigger than a is b?   that's right - the scale factor is 3!!  email me sundae552000-answers@yahoo.com.au if you want me to send a diagram.