A scale is a relative measure of size, amount, importance or rank. For example, a painter may use scale to establish the relative size of figures in his painting.

Several studies reported limitations associated with the scale development process. These include a lack of an adequate literature review and the lack of manualized instructions that regulate data analysis.

Definition

A scale is a system of ordered marks or numbers that serve as a reference standard for measuring or comparing things. A common example is a Richter scale for earthquakes or the pay scale for workers.

The word scale is also used figuratively to refer to the size of something: He underestimates the scale of the problem. Artworks by the Miniature Master William Smith are often displayed on a large scale and can be appreciated for their detail.

In music, a scale is an ascending or descending order of pitches proceeding according to a particular interval pattern. Claude Debussy’s L’Isle Joyeuse is an excellent example of a composition that uses a diatonic scale. As a verb, scale means to make something larger or smaller than its original size: We scaled the model up and down.

Origin

Scale is a noun that refers to the relative size of something. The word can be used to describe a range of sizes, such as a large scale or small scale. It can also be used to describe a certain level or degree: he was entertained on a lavish scale.

Origin: from French échelle (literally, ladder), via Latin scala, which is probably from the half of a bivalve shell that was split and used as a drinking cup or pan for weighing. The musical sense of “definite and standard series of tones within a particular range, usually an octave” is from 1590s.

In graphs, scales allow us to display the same data differently. They can be used to create different axes or to display time data at a different scale.

Function

A musical scale is a set of pitches organized into intervals that form a harmonic series. The first note of the scale is referred to as the keynote or tonic, and the notes continue to be organized into octaves upwards from that point. The scale shown in Figure 6-3 starts with middle C and continues up two octaves.

Scales are also used in the development of feathers in birds and horny scutes on reptiles, which are developed from modified epidermal tissue. The term is also applied to modified body coverings on some mammals, such as keratin.

In computer programming, the function scale() standardizes a vector by dividing its elements by their mean and removing their standard deviation. This reduces the difference between different vectors and allows them to be compared more easily.

Technology

Technology is the application of scientific knowledge to achieve practical aims. It includes both tangible tools like utensils and machines, as well as intangible ones such as software.

Scaling technology is a complicated process that requires the help of an experienced partner. Many companies find themselves frustrated when they realize that it takes a lot more work than they initially thought to automate and scale processes.

Independent scaling involves splitting storage and computing resources for data management. It has met with early success in cloud environments and will likely become a standard architecture for DBaaS models. Embracing this technology will allow data and analytics leaders to devise a successful cloud strategy. It also opens the door to new opportunities in distributed architectures.

Applications

Whether you’re planning for a big launch, introducing a new feature or dealing with unexpected demand, having a scalable web application will make all the difference. A scalable app is resilient against unexpected situations and can easily shift workloads between servers to handle increased load without disruption or compromising user experience.

In art and film, scale is used to establish the relationship between objects or characters in a scene. It can also be used to create contrast and highlight important aspects of a drawing or painting. In science, the concept of scale is essential for understanding relationships between different phenomena. For example, scientists study natural events that span the full range of scales of size, speed and energy. Those on the large scale can be directly observed by the human eye.