Theorems on Similar Triangles

Angle-Angle (AA) Similarity Theorem

If two angles of one triangle are congruent to two angles of
another triangle, then the triangles are similar.

M
S

N L P T
 Theorems on Similar Triangles
Angle-Angle (AA) Similarity Theorem
Example: Determine whether the triangles are similar. If so, write a similarity
statement.
• ∠Y+ ∠X+ ∠Z=180º • ∠B  ∠X
• ∠A+ ∠B+ ∠C=180º • ∠Y+ 31+ 96=180º • ∠C  ∠Y
• ∠A+ 31+ 53=180º • ∠Y=53º • ∠A  ∠Z
• ∠A=96º

△ACB  △ZYX
 Theorems on Similar Triangles
Side-Side-Side (SSS) Similarity Theorem
If the corresponding side lengths of two triangles are proportional,
then the triangles are similar.

NM ML LN
If = =
PS ST TP

△NML  △PST
 Theorems on Similar Triangles
Side-Side-Side (SSS) Similarity Theorem
Example: Determine whether the triangles are similar. If so, write a
similarity statement.
WV VX XW
= =
ZY YX XZ
12 = 10 = 8
9 7.5 6
𝟒 𝟒 𝟒
= =
𝟑 𝟑 𝟑 △WVX  △ZYX
 Theorems on Similar Triangles
Side-Angle-Side (SAS) Similarity Theorem
If the lengths of two sides of one triangle are proportional to the
lengths of two corresponding sides of another triangle and the
included angles are congruent, then the triangles are similar.
LN NM M
If = 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ∠N ∠P S
TP PS

△LNM  △TPS N L P T
 Theorems on Similar Triangles
Side-Angle-Side (SAS) Similarity Theorem
Example: Determine whether the triangles are similar. If so, write a
similarity statement.
 Theorems on Similar Triangles
Side-Angle-Side (SAS) Similarity Theorem
Example: Determine whether the triangles are similar. If so, write a
similarity statement.
∠H  ∠H IH 9 9 1
= = =
KH 27 + 9 36 4
IH JH
= 7
KH LH JH 7 1
= = =
1 LH 21 + 7 28 4
1
=
△IHJ  △KHL 4 4
 Right Triangle Similarity

Right Triangle Similarity Theorem

The altitude to the hypotenuse of a right triangle divides the triangle
into two triangles that are similar to the original triangle and to each
other C C
C

A D D B
A B
D
The altitude divides the original right triangle into two smaller right triangles.
 Right Triangle Similarity

Right Triangle Similarity Theorem

The altitude to the hypotenuse of a right triangle divides the triangle
into two triangles that are similar to the original triangle and to each
other C C
C

A D D B
A B

△BCA  △CDA  △BDC

 Right Triangle Similarity
Geometric Mean Theorem (Altitude Theorem)
C
In a right triangle, the altitude to
the hypotenuse is the geometric
mean of the segments into
which it divides the hypotenuse A B
and each of the legs is the D
geometric mean of the
hypotenuse and the segment of Segments of the hypotenuse
the hypotenuse adjacent to the 𝑨𝑫 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑫𝑩
leg
 Right Triangle Similarity
Geometric Mean Theorem (Altitude Theorem)
 Right Triangle Similarity
Geometric Mean Theorem (Altitude Theorem)
 Right Triangle Similarity

Leg Geometric Mean Theorem (Leg rule)

 Right Triangle Similarity

Leg Geometric Mean Theorem (Leg rule)

 Right Triangle Similarity

Altitude given the Legs

 Right Triangle Similarity
Geometric Mean Theorem (Altitude Theorem)

CD = 𝐴𝐷𝑥𝐵𝐷 BC = 𝐵𝐴𝑥𝐵𝐷
CD = 3(2) = 5(2)
CD = 𝟔 BC = 𝟏𝟎

AC = 𝐴𝐵𝑥𝐴𝐷
AC = 15
= 5(3)
 Right Triangle Similarity
Geometric Mean Theorem

CD = 𝐴𝐷𝑥𝐵𝐷 BC = 𝐵𝐴𝑥𝐵𝐷
CD = 3(2) = 5(2)
CD = 𝟔 BC = 𝟏𝟎

AC = 𝐴𝐵𝑥𝐴𝐷
AC = 15
= 5(3)
 Right Triangle Similarity
Geometric Mean Theorem

C C

A D D B
 Right Triangle Similarity
Geometric Mean Theorem

C C

A D D B

If △BCA  △CDA  △BDC

 Right Triangle Similarity
Geometric Mean Theorem
If △BCA  △CDA  △BDC
• △BCA  △CDA
• △CDA  △BDC
• △BCA  △BDC
 Right Triangle Similarity
Geometric Mean Theorem
If △BCA  △CDA  △BDC
• △BCA  △CDA
BC CA BA 2 15 15
= = 5 15
CD DA CA = =
6 3 15
10 15 5
= = 15 15 15
6 3 15 = =
3 3 3
60 15 5 15
= =
6 3 15
 Right Triangle Similarity
Geometric Mean Theorem
If △BCA  △CDA  △BDC
• △CDA  △BDC
CD DA AC 6 6
= = 5 6
BD DC CB = =
2 2 10
6 = 3 15
= 6 6 6
2 6 10 = =
2 2 2
6 3 6 150
= =
2 6 10
 Right Triangle Similarity
Geometric Mean Theorem
If △BCA  △CDA  △BDC
• △BCA  △BDC
BC CA AB 10 3 10 10
= = =
BD DC CB =
2 6 2
10 15 5
= = 10 10 10
2 6 10 = =
2 2 2
10 90 5 10
= =
2 6 10
 Right Triangle Similarity

Find the area of triangle ACB