Mtgnt_08 trans wk bk 11/3/03 3:43 PM Page 176

8.5 Proving Triangles are Similar

Goals p Use similarity theorems to prove two triangles are similar.
p Use similar triangles to solve real-life problems.

THEOREM 8.2: SIDE-SIDE-SIDE (SSS) SIMILARITY THEOREM

If the lengths of the corresponding sides A P
of two triangles are proportional, then
the triangles are similar.
Q R
AB BC CA
If





, B C
PQ QR RP
then T ABC S T PQR .

THEOREM 8.3: SIDE-ANGLE-SIDE (SAS) SIMILARITY

THEOREM
If an angle of one triangle is congruent X M
to an angle of a second triangle and
the lengths of the sides including these
angles are proportional, then the P N
triangles are similar.
Z Y
ZX XY
If aX c aM and



,
PM MN
then T XYZ S T MNP .

176 Geometry Notetaking Guide • Chapter 8

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Example 1 Using the SSS Similarity Theorem

Which of the following three triangles are similar?
R W 15 T Y
8 4
6 10
6 12
Q 10 S
V Z 12 X

To decide which, if any, of the triangles are similar, you need to

consider the ratios of the lengths of corresponding sides.
Ratios of Side Lengths of TQRS and TTVW
Shortest sides Longest sides Remaining sides
RS 4 2 QS 10 2 QR 8 2






,





,






VW 6 3 TW 15 3 TV 12 3
Answer Because the ratios are equal, TQRS S TTVW .
Ratios of Side Lengths of TQRS and TXYZ
Shortest sides Longest sides Remaining sides
RS 4 2 QS 10 5 QR 8 4






,





,






YZ 6 3 XZ 12 6 XY 10 5
Answer Because the ratios are not equal, TQRS and TXYZ are
not similar .

Checkpoint Complete the following exercise.

1. Which of the three triangles L

are similar? 20
TKLM and TNPQ 16
15 N
K Q
12
M

14 J 20
G 25

18
22 P

Lesson 8.5 • Geometry Notetaking Guide 177

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Example 2 Using the SAS Similarity Theorem

Use the given lengths to prove that 10
TDFR S TMNR. D 2M R

Solution
Given: DF  15, MN  12 12
15
DM  2, DR  10
Prove: TDFR S TMNR
Paragraph Proof Use the SAS Similarity N
Theorem. Begin by finding the ratios of the
lengths of the corresponding sides. F

DF 15 5







MN 12 4
DR 10 10 5









MR 10  2 8 4

*& and DR
So, the lengths of sides DF *& are proportional to the
lengths of the corresponding sides of TMNR. Because aFDR and
aNMR are right angles , use the SAS Similarity Theorem to
conclude that TDFR S TMNR.

Checkpoint Complete the following exercise.

2. Describe how to prove that TRSV is R X

24
similar to TYXV. 15

V
20 18
S
Y

Show that corresponding sides are proportional. Then use

the SAS Similarity Theorem with the vertical angles aRVS
and aYVX.

178 Geometry Notetaking Guide • Chapter 8