Name  Class  Date 

12.4 Similarity in Right Triangles

Essential Question: H
 ow does the altitude to the hypotenuse of a right triangle help you
use similar right triangles to solve problems?

Resource
Locker

Identifying Similarity in Right Triangles

Explore  

A Make two copies of the right triangle on a piece of paper and cut them out.

B Choose one of the triangles. Fold the paper to find the altitude to the hypotenuse.
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

C Cut the second triangle along the altitude. Label the triangles as shown.

2
1

Module 12 663 Lesson 4

D Place triangle 2 on top of triangle 1. What do you notice about the
angles?

E What is true of triangles 1 and 2? How do you know?

F Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for triangles 1 and 3. Does the same relationship
hold true for triangles 1 and 3?

Reflect

1. How are the hypotenuses of the triangles 2 and 3 related to triangle 1?

2. What is the relationship between triangles 2 and 3? Explain.

3. When you draw the altitude to the hypotenuse of a right triangle, what kinds of
figures are produced?

4. Suppose you draw △ABC such that _∠B is a right angle and the altitude to the
​  at point P. Match each triangle to a similar
hypotenuse intersects hypotenuse AC​

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

triangle. Explain your reasoning.
A. △ABC      △PAB

B. △PBC      △CAB

C. △BAP      △BPC

Module 12 664 Lesson 4

 Explain 1 Finding Geometric Means of Pairs of Numbers
Consider the proportion __ax = __bx where two of the numbers in the proportion are the same. The number x is the

―
geometric mean of a and b. The geometric mean of two positive numbers is the positive square root of their product.
So the geometric mean of a and b is the positive number x such that x = √ab or x 2 = ab.

Example 1 Find the geometric mean x of the numbers.

A 4 and 25

Write proportion. 4 =_
_ x
x 25
Multiply both sides by the product of the denominators. 4 = 25x · _
25x · _ x
x 25
Multiply. 100x = _
_ 25x 2
x 25
Simplify. 100 = x 2
_ _
Take the square root of both sides. √ 100 = √x 2

Simplify. 10 = x

B 9 and 20

Write proportion. _=_x

x 20

20x · _ _x
Multiply both sides by the product of the denominators. x = 20x · 20

Multiply. _ 20x 2
x =_
x 20
Simplify. = x2
_

Take the square root of both sides. √ _

= √x 2

Simplify. =x
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Reflect

5. ―
How can you show that if positive numbers a and b are such that __ax = __bx , then x = √ab ?

Your Turn

Find the geometric mean of the numbers. If necessary, give the answer in simplest radical form.

6. 6 and 24 7. 5 and 12

Module 12 665 Lesson 4

 Explain 2 Proving the Geometric Means Theorems
In the Explore activity, you discovered a theorem about right triangles and similarity.

The altitude to the hypotenuse of a right triangle forms two triangles that are similar to each other and to
the original triangle.

That theorem leads to two additional theorems about right triangles. Both of the theorems involve geometric means.

Geometric Means Theorems

Theorem Example Diagram

The length of the altitude to the

h 2 = xy or
―
hypotenuse of a right triangle is the
geometric mean of the lengths of the h = √xy
segments of the hypotenuse.
x
c
a 2 = xc or
―
The length of a leg of a right triangle is a y
the geometric mean of the lengths of a = √xc h
b 2 = yc or
―
the hypotenuse and the segment of the
hypotenuse adjacent to that leg. b = √yc b

Example 2 Prove the first Geometric Means A

D
Theorem.
_
Given: Right triangle ABC with altitude BD
CD = _
BD B C
Prove: _
BD AD

Statements Reasons
_
1. △ABC with altitude BD 1. Given

2. △CBD ∼ △BAD 2.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

3.
CD _
_ =
BD
3.
BD AD

Reflect

8. Discussion How can you prove the second Geometric Means Theorem?

Module 12 666 Lesson 4

 Explain 3 Using the Geometric Means Theorems
You can use the Geometric Means Theorems to find unknown segment lengths in a right triangle.

Example 3 Find the indicated value.

y
x z

10 2

A x

Write proportion. 2 =_
_ x
x 10
Multiply both sides by the product of the denominators. 2 = 10x · _
10x · _ x
x 10
Multiply. 20x = _
_ 10x 2
x 10
Simplify. 20 = x 2

Take the square root of both sides. ― ―

√20 = √x 2

Simplify. 2√―
5=x

B y
10 = _
_ y
Write proportion. y 12
10 =
_ _y
Multiply both sides by the product of the denominators. y 12

Multiply. _=_
y 12

Simplify. =
――― ――
Take the square root of both sides. √ = √
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Simplify. =y

Reflect

9. Discussion How can you check your answers?

Your Turn

10. Find x.
y z
x

5 7

Module 12 667 Lesson 4

 Explain 4 Proving the Pythagorean Theorem
using Similarity
You have used the Pythagorean Theorem in earlier courses as well as in this one.
There are many, many proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem. You will prove it now
using similar right triangles.

The Pythagorean Theorem

In a right triangle, the square of the sum of the lengths of the legs is equal to the square of the length of
the hypotenuse.

Example 4 Complete the proof of the Pythagorean Theorem. A

Given: Right △ABC

b c
Prove: a + b = c
2 2 2

a B
Part 1 C

Draw the altitude to the hypotenuse. A

Label the point of intersection X. X
c
b
∠BXC ≅ ∠BCA because .
C a B
∠B ≅ ∠B by .

So, △BXC ∼ △BCA by .

∠AXC ≅ ∠ACB because .

∠A ≅ ∠A by .

So, △AXC ∼ △ACB by .

Part 2 A
d X c

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Let the lengths of the segments of the hypotenuse
be d and e, as shown in the figure. b e

Use the fact that corresponding sides of similar triangles are proportional a B
C
to write two proportions.
a = _.
Proportion 1: △BXC ∼ △BCA, so _
c a

b = _____.
Proportion 2: △AXC ∼ △ACB, so _
c b

Module 12 668 Lesson 4

 Part 3

Now perform some algebra to complete the proof as follows.

Multiply both sides of Proportion1 by ac. Write the resulting equation.      

Multiply both sides of Proportion12 by bc. Write the resulting equation.      

Adding the two resulting equations give this:          

Factor the right side of the equation:          

Finally, use the fact that e + d =    by the Segment Addition Postulate to rewrite the equation

as       .

Reflect

11. Error Analysis  A student used the figure in Part 2 of the example, and wrote the following
incorrect proof of the Pythagorean Theorem. Critique the student’s proof. △BXC ∼ △BCA and
△BCA ∼ △CXA, so △BXC ∼ △CXA by transitivity of similarity. Let CX = f. Since corresponding
f
sides of similar triangles are proportional, _ ​ e ​  = _​    ​ and f​  ​2​ = ed. Because △BXC ∼ △CXA and they
f d
are right triangles, a​ 2​ ​ = ​e2​ ​ + ​f  2​ ​and b​ ​2​ = ​f  2​ ​ + ​d 2​ ​.

Add the equations. ​a​2​ + ​b2​ ​ = ​e2​ ​ + 2​f  2​ ​ + ​d  2​ ​

Substitute. = ​e2​ ​ + 2ed + ​d  2​ ​

= (​​ e + d)​ ​
2
Factor.

Segment Addition Postulate = ​c2​ ​

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Module 12 669 Lesson 4

 Elaborate
12. How would you explain to a friend how to find the geometric mean of two numbers?

_
13. △XYZ is an _isosceles right triangle and the right angle is ∠Y. Suppose the altitude to hypotenuse XZ​
​  
​  at point P. Describe the relationships among triangles △XYZ, △YPZ and △XPY.
intersects XZ​

14. Can two different pairs of numbers have the same geometric mean? If so, give an example. If not, explain
why not.

15. Essential Question Check-In  How is the altitude to the hypotenuse of a right
triangle related to the segments of the hypotenuse it creates?

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Module 12 670 Lesson 4

 Evaluate: Homework and Practice
Write a similarity statement comparing the three triangles to each diagram.
1. P 2.
R Q
S
• Online Homework
• Hints and Help
• Extra Practice
B C 3. X
W
E D
Y Z

Find the geometric mean x of each pair of numbers. If necessary, give the answer in
simplest radical form.
4. 5 and 20 5. 3 and 12

6. 8 and 13 7. 3.5 and 20

8. 1.5 and 84 9. 27
2 and _
_
3 40
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Find x, y, and z.

10. 25 11.
x
65 y y x z
z

30 40

Module 12 671 Lesson 4

12.
12.8

y
z
9.6
x

Use the diagram to complete each equation.

a d
e

​  ec  ​ = _
13. _ ​   ​ 
  ​  ac  ​ = _
14. _ ​  a   ​ 
d

c+d _
15. ​  _  = ​  b   ​ 
 ​  d   ​ = _
16. ​ _ ​  ec ​ 
b

2 2

17. c​(c + d)​ = ​ ​​ 18. ​ ​ ​ = cd

Find the length of the altitude to the hypotenuse under the given © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
conditions.

B D

A C

19. BC = 5 20. BC = 17 21. BC = 13

AC = 4 AC = 15 AC = 12

Module 12 672 Lesson 4

 22. Communicate Mathematical Ideas  The area of a rectangle with a length of ℓ and
a width of w has the same area as a square. Show that the side length of the square is
the geometric mean of the length and width of the rectangle.

H.O.T.   Focus on Higher Order Thinking

23. Algebra  An 8-inch-long altitude of a right triangle divides the hypotenuse into two
segments. One segment is 4 times as long as the other. What are the lengths of the
segments of the hypotenuse?

24. Error Analysis  Cecile and Amelia both found a value for EF in △DEF. Both
students work are shown. Which student’s solution is correct? What mistake did the
other student make?
12
Cecile:  ​ ___
EF
​  EF
 ​ = ___
8
   ​ E

So E​F  2​ ​ = 12​(8)​ = 96.

8
_ _
Then EF = ​ 96 ​ = 4​√ 6 ​ .
√
G
8
Amelia: ___
​  EF ​  EF
   ​ = ___
4
   ​ 4
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

D F
So E​F  2​ ​ = 8​(4)​ = 32.
_ _
​ 32 ​ = 4​√2 ​. 
Then EF = √

Module 12 673 Lesson 4

Lesson Performance Task
In the example at the beginning of the lesson, a $100 investment grew for one year at the rate
of 50%, to $150, then fell for one year at the rate of 50%, to $75. The arithmetic mean of
+50% and -50%, which is 0%, was not a good predictor of the change, for it predicted the
investment would still be worth $100 after two years, not $75.

 1. Find the geometric mean of 1 + 50% and 1 - 50%. (Each 1 represents the fact that
at the beginning of each year, an investment is worth 100% of itself.) Round to the
nearest thousandth.

 2. It is the geometric mean, not the arithmetic mean, that tells you what the interest rate
would have had to have been over an entire investment period to achieve the end
result. You can use your answer to Exercise 1 to check this claim. Find the value of a
$100 investment after it increased or decreased at the rate you found in Exercise 1 for
two years. Show your work.

3. Copy the right triangle shown here. Write the terms “Year 1 Rate”, “Year 2 Rate”, and
“Average Rate” to show geometrically how the three investment rates relate to each
other.

4. The geometric mean of n numbers is the nth root of the product of the numbers. Find
what the interest rate would have had to have been over 4 years to achieve the result
of a $100 investment that grew 20% in Year 1 and 30% in Year 2, then lost 20% in
Year 3 and 30% in Year 4. Show your work. Round your answer to the nearest tenth
of a percent.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Module 12 674 Lesson 4