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Similar Triangles Notes

This document provides an overview of similar triangles, including their properties and methods for testing similarity. It outlines three methods: AA (two pairs of angles), SSS (three pairs of sides), and SAS (two sides and an included angle). Additionally, it includes an example problem demonstrating how to find unknown lengths and ratios in similar triangles.

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Fan Hong
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29 views6 pages

Similar Triangles Notes

This document provides an overview of similar triangles, including their properties and methods for testing similarity. It outlines three methods: AA (two pairs of angles), SSS (three pairs of sides), and SAS (two sides and an included angle). Additionally, it includes an example problem demonstrating how to find unknown lengths and ratios in similar triangles.

Uploaded by

Fan Hong
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Similar Triangles Test

In this revision note, you will learn the steps for Similar Triangles test and the properties of Similar
Triangles.
Similar Triangles
When two triangles are similar, they have the same shape but different size.
When a triangle undergoes an enlargement or reduction, the shape remains the same but the sizes
are different. Hence they are similar triangles.

Enlargement

Similar triangles Properties


X
ΔABC is similar to ΔXYZ (Note the order)
if and only if…
A
the ratio of corresponding sides are equal,
Y Z
AB AC BC
 
XY XZ YZ B C
and corresponding angles are equal.
∠A = ∠X , ∠B = ∠Y and ∠C = ∠Z

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Similar Triangles Test

There are 3 methods to test whether 2 triangles are similar.

1. 2 pairs of corresponding angles are equal

i.e. ∠A = ∠D, ∠B = ∠E (AA)

∆ABC and ∆DEF are similar.

Note: When 2 angles are the same, the 3rd angle will be the same too because the sum of
angles is always 180 degrees.

Example
A
In ∆ABC and ∆DEC,
D B
 ACB =  DCE (common)
E  ABC =  DEC (corresponding angles)
 BAC =  EDC (corresponding angles)
 ∆ABC is similar to ∆DEC. (AA Similarity)
C

2. 3 pairs of corresponding sides are in the same ratio


AB BC AC
i.e.   (SSS)
DE EF DF
Example
In ∆ABC and ∆DEF,
AB 12 2 BC 8 2 AC 10 2
  ,   ,  
DE 18 3 EF 12 3 DF 15 3
 ∆ABC is similar to ∆DEF. (SSS Similarity)

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3. 2 pairs of corresponding sides are in the same ratio and a pair of included angles is
equal
AB AC
i.e.  and ∠A = ∠D (SAS)
DE DF
Example

D In ∆ABC and ∆DEF,


 BAC =  EDF = 50°
20 50° 5
AB 3 AC 12 3
A  ,  
DE 5 DF 20 5
3 12 F E
50°
 ∆ABC is similar to ∆DEF (SAS Similarity)
B C

Similar Triangles Example


In the diagram below, PQ is parallel to BC. APB and AQC are straight lines. Given that
AP = x cm, BC = 18 cm, PB = 6 cm and PQ = 10 cm, find
(a) x.
(b) the ratio of AQ : AC.

x cm

P 10 cm Q
6 cm
B C
18 cm

Solution

Angle A is a common angle, Angle APQ = Angle ABC (corresponding angle).

∆APQ and ∆ABC are similar triangles (AA Similarity).

Therefore, the ratios of the corresponding sides are equal.

AP PQ AQ
= =
AB BC AC

(a) To find x
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AP PQ
=
AB BC
𝑥 10 cm
=
(𝑥 + 6) cm 18 cm

10 (𝑥 + 6) = 18 𝑥

10𝑥 + 60 = 18𝑥

8𝑥 = 60

𝑥 = 7.5 cm

(b) To find the ratio of AQ : AC

Since the triangles are similar, the ratio of AQ : AC is the same as its corresponding sides PQ: BC.

AQ PQ 10 cm
= = =5:9
AC BC 18 cm

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