SIMILARITY IN RIGHT TRIANGLES
Identifying Proportions in a Right Triangle
A. PROPORTION IN A RIGHT TRIANGLE THEOREM
If The altitude or height is drawn to the hypotenuse of
a right triangle then:
a. The triangles formed to the hypotenuse are similar
to the given triangle and similar to each other.
b. The length of the altitude or height is the
GEOMETRIC MEAN between the lengths of two
segments of the hypotenuse.
c. The length of each leg of the given triangle is the
GEOMETRIC MEAN between the length of the
hypotenuse and the length of the segment of the
hypotenuse adjacent to the leg.
B. THE PYTHAGOREAN
THEOREM
In a right triangle, the square
of the hypotenuse (longest
side) is equal to the sum of c
a
the squares of the legs.
hyp2 = leg2 + leg2 c2 = a2 +
b2
b
EXAMPLES:
1. Given rt. ⊿ BCA , determine each.
a. Similar triangles
b. Altitude Rule
c. Leg Rule
Ex. 2: Is a triangle with sides 7, 24, and 25 a right
triangle?
Solution: By using the Pythagorean Theorem
c 2 = a 2 + b2 252 = 72 + 242
625 = 49 + 576
625 = 625
Therefore, a triangle with sides 7, 24, 25 is a right
triangle.
REMEMBER:
If a < b<c are the lengths of the sides of a triangle and
a2 + b2 = c2, then the triangle is a RIGHT triangle
a2 + b2 < c2, then the triangle is an OBTUSE triangle
a2 + b2 > c2, then the triangle is and ACUTE triangle
Practice Activity 1
PRACTICE ACTIVITY 2 1. In a 450 - 450 - 900, the leg
opposite the 450 angle is
Answer the following. Solve for the value of x. equal to one-half the length of
the hypotenuse times √ 2. hyp 1
hyp √ 2
2
1
hyp √ 2
2
1
x= hyp √ 2
2
1
x= (10√ 2 ¿( √ 2)
B. Determine whether a triangle with sides of the given
2
lengths is acute, right or obtuse.
1 1
2 √
= (10 4 ¿= (10¿(2)
1. 11, 112, 15 4. 8, 14, 17 2
PRACTICE ACTIVITY 3
2. 15, 20, 25 5. 33, 44, 55
3. 9, 12, 15
C. SPECIAL RIGHT TRIANGLE RELATIONSHIPS
The 300 - 600 - 900 RIGTH TRIANGLE THEOREM
1. In a 300 - 600 - 900, the leg
opposite the 300 angle is equal
to one-half the length of the
hypotenuse.
1 hyp
hyp √ 3
2. In a 300 - 600 - 900, the leg 2
opposite the 600 angle is equal
to one-half the length of the
1
hypotenuse times 3.√ hyp
2
Read carefully and solve.
1.Find the measure of the sides of a rhombus whose
lengths of the diagonals are 12 and 16.
2.The diagonal of the square chess table is 10 cm.
What is the length of each side?
RATIOS OF AREAS AND PERIMETER OF SIMILAR
POLYGON
If two polygons are similar, then;
- the ratio of their perimeters equals the ratio of the
lengths of any pair of corresponding segments.
Perimeter 1 side 1
=
Perimeter 2 side 2
- the ratio of their areas equals the square of the ratio
of the lengths of any pair of corresponding segments.
2
Area 1 (side 1)
=
Area 2 ¿¿
The 450 - 450 - 900 RIGTH TRIANGLE THEOREM Example:
The areas of two similar triangles are 64m and 100m,
respectively. If the length of a side of the first is 16m,
what is the length of the corresponding side of the
second?
Solutions:
7. The lengths of the sides of a polygon are 3, 4,
Given: Area of triangle 1 is 64 m 2 5, 6 and 7. Find the lengths of the sides of the
similar polygon if its perimeter is 50.
Area of triangle 2 is 100 m2
Length of side 1 of triangle 1 I6m
Find: Length of the corresponding side of triangle 2
2
Area 1 (side 1)
Formula: =
Area 2 ¿¿
2
64 m 16 m
2
= cancel m2, then cross
100 m side 2∨x
multiply
64X = (16m) (100) multiply
64X = 1600m Divide both sides by 64
64 x 1600 m
=
64 64
X = 25 m
Activity 4
Directions: Read, analyze and solve carefully.
1. The areas of two similar polygons are 64 and
100 respectively, and the length of a side of
the first is 6. Find the length of the
corresponding side of the of the second.
2. Two polygons are similar. The area of the first
polygon is 208 cm2 and one of its sides is 12
cm. If the corresponding side of the second
polygon is 16cm, determine the area of the
larger polygon.
3. Two triangles are similar. The sides of the
smaller triangle are 8, 16, and 20. If the
perimeter of the larger triangle is 66, find the
measure of its sides.
4. The sides of a triangle are in the ratio of 2:3:4.
If the perimeter is 72 cm, find each side of the
triangle?
5. A 41-foot ladder is leaning against a vertical
wall. If the foot of the ladder rests at 9 feet
away from the base of the wall, how high up
does the ladder reach?
6. The altitude to the hypotenuse of a right
triangle divides the hypotenuse into segments
of length 9 and 16. Find the length of the
altitude
