In this section, you will compare areas of non similar figure by using different scale factors.
Look at the two rectangles below. The rectangles are not similar since their corresponding sides are not proportional. If you compare the widths and the lengths separately, you get two different scale factors.
Since they have two different scale factors for their dimensions, what do you think the scale factor for the area would be?
The scale factors are . . .
6 3 or 2 for the width and 15 5 or 3 for the width.
The scale factor for the area is 2 × 3 or 6.
Test your answer another way. Drag yellow rectangles onto the gray rectangle until you cover it entirely. How many yellow rectangles does it take to cover the gray rectangle?