scale

Numerical relationship, expressed as a ratio, between the actual size of an object and the size of an image that represents it on a map, plan, or diagram.

If an object has been enlarged, the amount of increase (scale factor) can be found by dividing a side of the enlarged object by the corresponding side of the original shape. A scale factor of less than one gives a decrease in size. An object is scaled by multiplying it by the scale factor; for example, a model railway may require a scale of 1 in a 100, so all measurements must be multiplied by 1/100 (0.01).