What is the scale factor of the dilation?

The scale factor of a dilation is a ratio that describes how much the original figure has been enlarged or reduced in size. It is calculated by dividing the length of a corresponding side of the dilated figure by the length of the original side.

If the scale factor is greater than 1, the figure has been enlarged, while if the scale factor is between 0 and 1, the figure has been reduced in size.

The scale factor can also be negative, indicating that the figure has been dilated and flipped over a line of reflection.