What Is Scale Factor?
A scale factor is the number you multiply every length in a shape by to make it proportionally larger or smaller, while keeping its overall shape identical. A scale factor greater than 1 enlarges a shape; a scale factor between 0 and 1 shrinks it.
Example
A model car built at a 1:24 scale factor means every real measurement is divided by 24 — a real car 192 inches long becomes an 8-inch model, since 192 ÷ 24 = 8.