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

Scale factor is the ratio of the length of the scaled copy to the original length. Let the original square (left) have side length \( l_1 = 8 \) and the scaled copy (right) have side length \( l_2 = 4 \). The scale factor \( k \) is given by \( k=\frac{l_2}{l_1} \).

Step2: Substitute values and simplify

Substitute \( l_1 = 8 \) and \( l_2 = 4 \) into the formula: \( k=\frac{4}{8} \). Simplify the fraction by dividing numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor, which is 4. So, \( \frac{4\div4}{8\div4}=\frac{1}{2} \).

Answer:

\(\frac{1}{2}\)