A square has a perimeter of 20 inches. The square is dilated by a factor of 3 to produce a new square. What is the perimeter of the new square?
Understand the Problem
The question describes a square with a given perimeter that's dilated by a factor of 3, and asks us to determine the perimeter of the new square. To solve, we will use the property that the perimeter of the shape also scales by a factor of 3.
Answer
C. 60 inches
Answer for screen readers
C
Steps to Solve
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Understand the effect of dilation on perimeter When a shape is dilated, its dimensions are scaled by the dilation factor. Since the perimeter is a measure of the length around the shape, it scales by the same factor.
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Calculate the new perimeter Multiply the original perimeter by the dilation factor: $20 \times 3 = 60$
C
More Information
The perimeter of the new square is 60 inches.
Tips
A common mistake is to think that the perimeter is related to the area, so people might square the dilation factor before multiplying. However, perimeter is a one-dimensional measurement (length), so it scales linearly with the dilation factor.
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