The size of the scale factor affects the size of the copy. When a figure is scaled by a scale factor greater than 1, the copy is larger than the original. When the scale factor is less than 1, the copy is smaller. When the scale factor is exactly 1, the copy is the same size as the original.

Triangle $DEF$ is a larger scaled copy of triangle $ABC$, because the scale factor from $ABC$ to $DEF$ is $\frac32$. Triangle $ABC$ is a smaller scaled copy of triangle $DEF$, because the scale factor from $DEF$ to $ABC$ is $\frac23$.

Two triangles; one labeled A B C with horizontal A B and the other D E F with horizontal D E. The length of A B is labeled 4. The length of B C is labeled 3. The length of C A is labeled 5. The length of D E is labeled 6. The length of E F is labeled 4.5. The length of F D is labeled 7.5. An arrow from triangle A B C pointing to triangle D E F is labeled, times 3 halves. An arrow from triangle D E F pointing to triangle A B C is labeled times 2 thirds.

This means that triangles $ABC$ and $DEF$ are scaled copies of each other. It also shows that scaling can be reversed using reciprocal scale factors, such as $\frac23$ and $\frac32$.

In other words, if we scale Figure A using a scale factor of 4 to create Figure B, we can scale Figure B using the reciprocal scale factor, $\frac14$, to create Figure A.