GEOMETRY- 3
SNAPSHOT
Similarity of Triangles
Ratio of Areas
Similarity of triangles:
Two triangles are similar if their corresponding angles are equal or corresponding sides are in
proportion. In the figure given above, triangle ABC is similar to triangle PQR. Then A = P, B =
Q and C = R and
AB BC CA AI AJ
(altitudes) (medians)
PQ QR RP PK PL
Therefore, if you need to prove two triangles similar, prove their corresponding angles to be equal
or their corresponding sides to be in proportion.
Ratio of Areas:
If two triangles are similar, the ratio of their areas is the ratio of the squares of the length of their
corresponding sides. Therefore,
Area of triangle ABC AB2 BC 2 CA2
Area of triangle PQR PQ2 QR2 RP2
DE 1
In triangle ABC, shown above, DE // BC and . If area of triangle ADE is 10, find the
BC 4
area of the trapezium BCED and the area of the triangle CED.
Answer: ADE and ABC are similar. Therefore,
Area of triangle ABC BC2
16 Area of triangle ABC 160 Area of trapezium BCDE = Area
Area of triangle ADE DE2
ABC Area ADE = 160 10 = 150.
To find the area of triangle CDE, we draw altitudes of triangle BDC and CDE, as shown above. Let
the length of the altitudes be h.
1 1
Area of triangle BCD BC h and area of triangle CDE DE h
2 2
.
Area of triangle BCD BC
4
Area of triangle CDE DE
Therefore, we divide the area of the trapezium BCED in the ratio 1: 4 to find the area of triangle
1
CDE. The required area = 150 30 .
5
In the diagram given below, ABD = CDB = PQD = 90. If AB: CD = 3: 1, the ratio of
CD: PQ is (CAT 2003- Leaked)
1. 1: 0.69 2. 1: 0.75 3. 1: 0.72
4. None of these
Answer: Let BQ = a and DQ = b, as shown in the figure below.
PQ b
Triangle ABD and triangle PQD are similar. Therefore, . Also triangle CBD and triangle
AB a b
PQ a
PBQ are similar. Therefore,
CD ab
AB a CD ab 4
Dividing the second equality by the first, we get. 3 . Therefore, 1 : 0.75
CD b PQ a 3
In triangle ABC, lines DG, EH, and FI are parallel to the
base BC. Then it can be proved that
AD AG DE GH EF HI
, ,
DE GH EF HI FB IC
In the figure (not drawn to scale) given below, P is a point on AB such that AP: PB = 4: 3.
PQ is parallel to AC and QD is parallel to CP. In ARC, ARC = 90°, and in PQS, PSQ =
90°. The length of QS is 6 cm. What is ratio AP: PD? (CAT 2003)
1. 10: 3 2. 2: 1 3. 7: 3 4. 8: 3
AP CQ 4
Answer: PQ is parallel to AC .
PB QB 3
Let AP = 4x and PB = 3x.
PD CQ 4 4PB 12x
QD is parallel CP PD
DB QB 3 7 7
12x
AP: PD = 4x: = 7: 3
7
In the adjoining figure, I and II are circles with centres P and Q respectively. The two
circles touch each other and have a common tangent that touches them at points Rand S
respectively. This common tangent meets the line joining P and Q at O. The diameters of I
and II are in the ratio 4: 3. It is also known that the length of PO is 28 cm. (CAT 2004)
What is the ratio of the length of PQ to that of QO?
1. 1 : 4 2. 1 : 3 3. 3 : 8 4. 3 : 4
What is the radius of the circle II?
1. 2 cm 2. 3 cm 3. 4 cm 4. 5cm
The length of SO is
1. 8 3 cm 2. 10 3 cm 3. 12 3 cm 4. 14 3 cm
Answer:
Join R and P, and S and Q. PRO = QSO = 90. Therefore, PRO and QSO are similar. Therefore,
PR PO 3 1
QO PO 21 PQ PO 7 PQ : QO 1 : 3 . Also, PQ = 7 and the radii are
SQ QO 4 4
in the ratio 4: 3. Therefore, radius of circle II = 3. Now
SO QO2 SQ2 441 9 432 12 3
NOTE: In similar triangles, sides opposite to equal angles are in proportion.
Consider the triangle ABC shown in the following figure where BC = 12 cm, DB = 9 cm, CD
= 6 cm and BCD = BAC. What is the ratio of the perimeter of the triangle ADC to that of
the triangle BDC? (CAT 2005)
7 8 6 5
1. 2. 3. 4.
9 9 9 9
Answer: In BAC and BCD, BCD = BAC, B is common BDC = BCA. Therefore, the two
triangles are similar.
AB AC BC BC2 BC CD
AB 16 AD 7, Similarly, AC 8
BC CD BD BD BD
7
Perimeter ADC = 7 + 6 + 8 = 21, perimeter BDC = 27. Therefore, ratio =
9
ASSIGNMENT
1. An equilateral triangle T1 has area 100 3 sq. cm. A second triangle, T2, is drawn with
vertices on the midpoints of the sides of T1. The midpoints of the sides of T2 are the vertices
of triangle T3, and so on. What is the sum of the perimeters, in centimeters, of all the
triangles, T1, T2, T3… etc.?
2.
An agriculturist is conducting an experiment in a rectangular
field ABCD. He sows seeds of a crop evenly across the field,
but he uses a new variety of manure in the area CEF (E and F
are midpoints of BD and BE, respectively) whereas he uses
the old variety in the rest of the field. The yield per unit area
of the crop in CEF is 3 times the yield in rest of the field.
What is the ratio of the amount of crop produced in CEF to that produced in the rest of the field?
1. 3: 4
2. 1: 2
3. 3: 7
4. 3: 8
3. In a triangle, D lies on BC so that AC = AD = 3, BD = 8 and CD = 1. What is the length of
AB?
______
4. In triangle ABC, the longest side BC is of length 20 and the altitude from A to BC is of length
12. A rectangle DEFG is inscribed in triangle ABC with D on AB, E on AC, and both
F and G on BC. The maximum possible area of rectangle DEFG is
1. 60
2. 100
3.120
4. 150
5. 200
In the square ABCD, AB is extended and E is a
point on AB such that CE intersects AD at F and
BD at G. The length of FG and GC are 3 and 5
units, respectively.
5. What is the length of EF?
6. Two telegraph poles of height a and b meters are on opposite sides of a road. Wires are
drawn from top of one pole to the bottom of the other. If the wires are completely taut, then
how many feet above the ground will the wires cross each other?
2ab
1.
ab
ab
2.
2(a b)
ab
3.
ab
ab
4.
2
In triangle ABC, side AC and the perpendicular
bisector of side BC meet at point D, and BD bisects
ABC. If AD = 9, and DC = 7.
7. What is the area of triangle ABD?
1. 14 5
2. 21
3. 28
4. 21 5
8. Four lines parallel to the base of a triangle divide each of the other sides into five equal
segments and the area into five distinct parts. If the area of the largest of these parts is 27,
then what is the area of the original triangle?
1. 135
2. 75
3. 225
4. 175
ABC is an isosceles triangle right angled at B. A
square is inscribed inside the triangle with three
vertices of the square on three sides of the triangle
as shown in the adjacent figure. It is known that the
ratio x to y is equal to 2 to 1.
9. The ratio of the area of the square to the area of the triangle is equal to
1. 2: 5
2. 1: 10
3. 1: 3
4. 2: 3
10. In the following figure, PS bisects QPR. The area of PQS =
40 sq. cm. and PR is 2.5 times of PQ. Find the area of PQR.
1. 35 sq. cm.
2. 70 sq. cm.
3. 105 sq. cm.
4. 140 sq. cm.
5. 175 sq. cm.
11. In MNO, MP is a median. NQ bisects MP and meets MO in
R. Find the length of MR if MO = 30 cm.
1. 5 cm.
2. 6 cm.
3. 10 cm.
4. 15 cm.
5. 20 cm.
12.S is the point on the side QR of a triangle PQR such that PSR = QPR. The length of the
side PR is 8cm. Find the maximum possible length of QS if it is known that both QR and SR
take integral values greater than one.
1. 16 cm.
2. 18 cm.
3. 30 cm.
4. 32 cm.
5. none of the above
[Link] the figure, D = 90 and DCA = BAD. If AD = 42
cm, find BD.
1. 2 cm.
2. 3 cm.
3. 7 cm.
4. 21 cm.
5. cannot be determined
14. D is the mid point of the side QR of a triangle PQR. O is a point on PD such that PO is 4
times OD. QO and RO produced meet PR and PQ in E and F, respectively. Find the length of
the side PQ if FQ = 3cm.
1. 3 cm
2. 6 cm
3. 8 cm
4. 9 cm
5. 12 cm
[Link] triangle ABC, AB = 10, AC = 7, and BC = 8.
How much we need to slide it along AB so that
the area of the overlapping region (the shaded
triangle A’BD) is one-half the area of the triangle
ABC?
[Link] the figure, PS and QR are parallel lines. If PO: OR = 1:4
and the length of QO = 12cm, find out the length of SO.
1. 2 cm.
2. 3 cm.
3. 4 cm.
4. 4.5 cm.
5. 5.5 cm
[Link] MNO, the bisector of NMO intersects NO at P. MN = 9cm, MO = 12cm. PO = PN + 1.
Find the length of PO.
1. 2 cm
2. 3 cm
3. 4 cm
4. 5 cm
5. 6 cm
[Link] PQR, the line segment MN intersects PQ in M and PR in N such that MN is parallel to QR.
Find the ratio of QM: QP if it is known that the area of the PMN is half of the PQR.
2
1.
2 1
2 1
2.
2
2 1
3.
2
2 2
4.
2
5. None of the above
[Link] MNO, MN = MO and NO = 4.5 cm. P is a point on the side MO such that NO 2 = (MO)
(PO). Find the length of NP.
1. 2.25 cm
2. 3 cm
3. 4 cm
4. 4.5 cm
5. cannot be determined
[Link] triangle ABC, with AB = 48, and BC = 20, is kept on a
horizontal plane. Another right-triangle ADC (right-angled at C) is
kept on the triangle with DC = 39 cm. A vertical line is drawn
through point D, intersecting AB at E. Then the length of BE is equal
to
1. 15
2. 21
3. 12
4. 18
5. cannot be determined
[Link] a dark and lonely night, a man is standing 5 meters away from a street light. The man is
2 meters tall and the light is 6 meters high. How long is the man’s shadow?
1. 2 meters
2. 7/3 meters
3. 5/2 meters
4. 4 meters
5. none of these
[Link] the figure, E and F are the mid-points of AB and AC respectively. G and H divide DB and
DC respectively in the ratio 1 : 3. If EF = 12, find GH.
1. 3
2. 4
3. 6
4. 8
5. 12
[Link] TG tower stands vertically on the ground. At a point on ground 30 3 m away from the
foot of tower, the angle of elevation of the top of tower is 30 . Find the height of tower.
30
1. m
3
2. 30 3m
3. 30 m
4. 20 m
5. 10 m
24. Given right triangle ABC, AD = DB, DE is perpendicular to AB, AB = 20 and AC = 12, find
the area of the quadrilateral ADEC.
1. 58.5
2. 56
3. 45
4. 37.5
25. Given two similar triangles, the area of the larger triangle is sixteen times the area of the
smaller triangle. What is the ratio of the perimeter of the larger triangle to the perimeter of
the smaller triangle?
1. 4:1
2. 8:1
3. 16 : 1
4. 32 : 1
26. In ABC, right angled at B, BD is perpendicular to AC. Find the length of BD if AD and CD
are 3 and 12 respectively.
1. 4.5
2. 6.0
3. 7.5
4. 9.0
27. PQR has PQ = 150 and PR = QR = 125, as shown. Three line segments are drawn parallel
to QR, dividing PQR into four sections of equal area. The height, h, of the bottom section is
closest to
1. 16.7
2. 16.5
3. 16.3
4. 16:1
28. A rectangle is inscribed in a triangle such that its upper left
vertex bisects the triangle’s side. Find the ratio of area of
the shaded to un-shaded region.
1. 4 : 3
2. 1 : 1
3. 1 : 2
4. 1 : 3
29. Vikki sees that the top of a 15 foot lamp, which is 250 feet away, lines up perfectly with the
peak of a distant mountain. Vikki knows that the mountain is 150,000 feet away so she uses
the lamp to determine the mountain’s height. If Vikki's eyes are 5 feet above the ground,
what is the best estimate of the mountain’s height?
1. 1500 feet
2. 3000 feet
3. 4500 feet
4. 6000 feet
30. Given the right triangle ABC as shown with EP CB, PM AB, and M as the midpoint of AB. If
AC = 6 and CB = 8, what is the length of EP?
1. 5
2. √14
75
3. 16
4. 4
31. ABCD is a quadrilateral with right angles at A and C. DE and BF are both perpendiculars to
AC as shown. Find the length of BF if AE = 3, DE = 5, CE = 7.
1. 3.6
2. 4.2
3. 4.5
4. 4.8
32. In triangle ABC, D divides AC in the ratio 1 : 2 and F is the
mid-point of BD. Find the ratio BE : EC.
1. 1 : 2
2. 3 : 2
3. 1 : 3
4. 3 : 1
[Link] the diagram, 4PQR has PQ = QR = RP = 30. Points S and
T are on PQ and PR, respectively, so that ST is parallel to
QR. Points V and U are on QR so that TU is parallel to PQ
and SV is parallel to PR. If VS + ST + TU = 35, the length of
V U is
1. 21
2. 15
3. 18
4. 20
[Link] ABC has AB = AC with M and N midpoints and
AX BC. What is the ratio of the area of the shaded region
to the area of triangle ABC?
1. 1 : 3
2. 1 : 4
3. 3 : 8
4. 5 : 8
In the diagram AB = 35, AE = CD = x,
EC = 8, ED = 7. Also, angle DEC = angle ABC.
35. What is the value of x?
1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
Directions for 36 - 38: Hotel Trinity Grand has a large triangular terrace with sides 20m, 34m
and 42m. A square shaped swimming pool is to be constructed such that one of its sides coincides
with the largest side of the terrace and two vertices of the swimming pool touch the other two sides
of the terrace.
36. What is the perimeter of the pool?
______
37. What is the sum of the perimeters of the three triangular regions which are not covered by the
pool?
5952
1. m
37
7152
2. m
37
4176
3. m
37
4. None of these
38. What is the area of the terrace?
1. 224 m2
2. 336 m2
3. 422 m2
4. 636 m2
Directions for 39 – 42: David, a geometry wizard was experimenting with a rectangle SPQR. He
extended PQ till T such that PT = 4/3 PQ. M and N are the mid points of the sides SR and PQ
respectively. MT intersects RQ at V.
39. What is the ratio of the area of triangle MRV and the area of rectangle PQRS?
1. 3 : 10
2. 3 : 20
3. 4 : 9
4. 4 : 15
40. If the area of the rectangle PQRS is 80 cm2 , find the area of the quadrilateral PQVM.
1. 24 cm2
2. 36 cm2
3. 48 cm2
4. None of these
41. If the area of ΔMRV is 12 cm2, find the area of ΔSPM.
1. 15 cm2
2. 20 cm2
3. 24 cm2
4. None of these
42. If the area of quadrilateral MNQV is 140 cm 2, find the area of quadrilateral PMVQ.
1. 220 cm2
2. 240 cm2
3. 280 cm2
4. None of these
Directions for 43 – 46: There is a country called TolaGola in the shape of a parallelogram ABCD.
M, N, O and P are the mid-points of DC , DA , AB and BC respectively. The government decided to
divide the country into 9 states by drawing 4 straight lines DP, NB, AM and OC . OC meets with NB
and DP at S and T respectively. Also, AM meets with NB and DP at R and Q respectively.
43. If the area of AOSR is 240 km2, what is the area CTP?
1. 80 km2
2. 120 km2
3. 160 km2
4. None of these
44. What is the area QTSR if area ABCD is 1000 km2?
1. 200 km2
2. 250 km2
3. 500 km2
4. None of these
45. If the area DTC is 1600 km2, what is the area NSTD?
1. 2400 km2
2. 2800 km2
3. 3200 km2
4. None of these
46. What is the ratio of the areas PTSB and ARN?
1. 2 : 1
2. 3 : 1
3. 4 : 1
4. None of these
Directions for 47 – 50: Each of the following questions is followed by two statements.
Mark (1), if exactly one of the statements is sufficient to answer the question.
Mark (2), if both the statements are individually sufficient to answer the question.
Mark (3), if both the statements are individually insufficient but together they are sufficient to answer
the question.
Mark (4), if even together they are insufficient to answer the question.
47. Is PQ parallel to BC in triangle ABC?
I. P and Q are the points on AB and AC respectively.
II. Area of ΔAPQ is 25% of area of ΔABC.
48. In Δ ABC, D and E are the points on AB and AC. BE and DC meet at O. What is the area of
ΔDOE?
I. AB : AD = 1 : 3.
II. OD : OC = 2 : 1.
49. Is area of Δ PQR equal to area of Δ QRC?
I. QR is a diagonal of rhombus PQSR.
II. QR is a diagonal of a rhombus QLRC.
50. Is right angled triangle ABC similar to right angled triangle PQR?
J. B = Q 90 deg.
II. C = R 90 deg.
Answer Key
Question Answer Question Answer Question Answer
1 120 19 4 37 4
2 3 20 1 38 2
3 9 21 3 39 2
4 4 22 3 40 3
5 16/3 23 3 41 2
6 3 24 1 42 2
7 1 25 1 43 1
8 2 26 2 44 1
9 1 27 4 45 2
10 4 28 2 46 2
11 3 29 4 47 4
12 3 30 3 48 4
13 5 31 2 49 4
14 4 32 3 50 4
15 𝟏𝟎 − 𝟓√𝟐 33 4
16 2 34 3
17 3 35 2
18 2 36 1344/29
