9.
3 SIMILAR TRIANGLES
When polygons are similar, two criteria must be met:
1)
2)
However…if you don’t know the measures of all sides and angles, is
there another way to tell?
There are several theorems that allow us to show that triangles are
similar.
AA
________________-________________ Similarity
If two angles of one triangle are _____________
to two angles of another triangle, then the
Similarity triangles are _________________.
EXAMPLE 1 Can these triangles be proven similar by AA? If so,
write a similarity statement. G
A J
a) b)
H
C
E
F
K
B
D
YES or NO YES or NO
Δ__________∼Δ_________ Δ__________∼Δ_________
You can use AA Similarity to find missing measurements in triangles.
EXAMPLE 2 Given AB P CD, AB = 4, AE = 3x + 1, CD = 8, and
ED = x + 12, find AE and DE.
A
C
A second way to show that triangles are similar is:
________________-________________ -_____________ Similarity
SAS In two triangles, if a pair of corresponding angles is
_______ and the sides including the angle are
Similarity __________________________, then the triangles
are ______________________.
EXAMPLE 3 Can the two triangles be proven similar by SAS? If
so, write a similarity statement.
Q
9
6
120° 120°
M P
4 N 6 R
YES or NO
Δ___________ ∼Δ___________
There is a third way to show that triangles are similar…
________________-________________ -_____________ Similarity
SSS If all three pairs of corresponding sides of two
triangles are _______________________, then
Similarity the two triangles are _____________________.
EXAMPLE 4 Are the triangles below similar by SSS? If so, write a
similarity statement.
4 9 12
3
T U W V
5 15
YES or NO
Δ___________ ∼Δ___________
EXAMPLES Are the two triangles similar? If so, state how and
write a similarity statement.
5. X 6. L 7. D
3 5
6 10
6 6
E F
G
W 80° V K M
3 5 10 6
J N
80° Y
Z H
YES or NO YES or NO YES or NO
HOW? HOW? HOW?
Δ________∼Δ_________ Δ________∼Δ_________ Δ________∼Δ_________
EXAMPLE 8 Solve for ‘x’ and for ‘y’.
A
8
y 3
E C
3 D 4
Scale Factor:
EXAMPLES Are the two triangles similar, and if so what is the
scale factor?
9. The measures of the sides of ΔABC are 4, 5, & 7. The measures
of ΔXYZ are 16, 20, & 28.
10. ΔPQR has sides 3, 5, & 6. ΔSTU has sides 2.5, 2, & 3.
Given: BP = 2AB; BM = 2CB
Prove: ΔCAB ΔMPB