what is the scale factor between two triangles if the originals area is 4.5 and the scaled copy's is 72

Question

the originals height is 3 and width of 3 and the difference between both triangles area is 16.

Answer 1

Area = 1/2 * 3 * 3 = 4.5

 

72 = (1/2) (3k)(3k) for some constant k

 

72 = (4.5) k^2

 

720 = 45 * k^2

 

144 = 9*k^2

 

16 = k^2

 

k = 4 because it cannot be negative

 

the big triangle has base = height = 12