76 SHAPE AND SPACE 1 UNIT 1

KEY POINT
If solving similar triangles for side length:
• Prove that the triangles are similar – all three angles must be the same.
• Identify the corresponding sides – these will be opposite the same angle – and write them as
ratios in a consistent order.
• Some diagrams may be easier to work with if they are redrawn in the same orientation
(each vertex facing the same way).

EXERCISE 8 1▶ For each pair of similar triangles

(i) name the three pairs of corresponding sides (ii) state which pairs of angles are equal.
8
K M
S
a A F b c d
B P
U
J
Q T
N
C O

D E I L W
R
H
G

2▶ Which of these triangles are similar to triangle A?

5 cm 3 cm 2 cm
A B C

20 cm 10 cm 8 cm

8 cm 7.5 cm
D E

24 cm 30 cm

3▶ Triangle A is similar to triangle B.

a Work out the scale factor of A to B by
comparing the given side lengths. 25 cm
The perimeter of triangle A is 12 cm. 5 cm
B
b What is the perimeter of triangle B? A
 UNIT 1 SHAPE AND SPACE 1 77

Q4 HINT 9 4▶ All these shapes are similar. Work out the lengths marked with letters.
Sketch the
triangles in the 8 cm a 12 cm
same orientation. 16 cm
3 cm
5 cm
10 cm 6 cm b

7.5 cm

15 cm 9 cm 4.5 cm
d
c
H

E
9 5▶ Triangle CDE is similar to triangle FGH.
4.9 cm
∠CDE = ∠FGH 9.4 cm
3.5 cm F
Calculate the length of C
2.6 cm
a FG b FH D G

EXERCISE 8* 1▶ Are triangles ABE and CDE 2▶ a Show that triangles PQR and RST
similar? Explain. are similar.
9 C 5 cm Q
39° P
D
Q1 HINT 47°
Find the angles in 4 cm
triangle AEB. R
94° 8 cm
E
Q2 HINT
Mark equal B T
angles. A x cm
S

Give reasons for your answers. b Find the missing length x.

Q3 HINT 3▶ a Explain why triangles FGH 4▶ Calculate the height of The Shard,
Draw the and FJK are similar. K a very tall building in London,
triangles using similar triangles.
separately.

20 mm 16 mm 2m
F G 66 mm 3m 459 m
22 mm J

b Calculate the length HK.

c Calculate the length JK.
78 SHAPE AND SPACE 1 UNIT 1

Q
5▶ a Find the sizes of angle PQN and angle LMN.
b Explain why triangle LMN is similar
to triangle LPQ. N
32 cm
c Find the length of LQ.
16 cm 52°
d Find the length of NQ. 22 cm
102°
e Find the length of MP. P
M 26°
18 cm
L

EXERCISE 9 REVISION

1▶ Work out the sizes of the angles marked with letters.

5

a 82° b c
148°
9
75° c
136° d
a b

2▶ AFB and CHD are parallel lines. 3▶ Find the size of angle a.
EFD is a straight line.
Work out the size of the angle marked x. 105°
B

D a
Diagram NOT 55°
accurately drawn
F x a
42°
E 110° H

A
C

4▶ a How many sides does this regular polygon have?

b A regular polygon has 18 sides. What is the size
of its exterior angle? 15°
5▶ Use compasses and a ruler to construct an equilateral triangle of sides 7 cm.

6▶ Use compasses and a ruler to construct the perpendicular bisector of the line AB where
AB = 8 cm.

7▶ A ship sails for 24 km on a bearing of 060°. It then turns and sails for 18 km on a bearing
of 160°.
a Use a scale of 10 cm to 30 km to draw an accurate scale drawing of the journey of
the ship.
b How far is the ship from its starting point to the nearest kilometre?
c On what bearing should the ship sail, to return to its starting point?
 UNIT 1 SHAPE AND SPACE 1 79

8▶ a Prove that triangle ABE is similar to triangle ACD. D

b Work out length CD.
30 cm

12 cm

A B 35 cm
21 cm C

EXERCISE 9* REVISION B
A
x°
6 1▶ Triangle BDC is an isosceles triangle.
(x + 30)°
Triangle ACE is a right-angled triangle.
Show that triangle ABC is an equilateral 2(x – 30)°
9 x°
triangle.
E C D

B C E
2▶ AB, BC and CD are three sides of
a regular octagon.
Find the size of angle BAC. Give reasons
for your answer. A D

3▶ Work out the size of each unknown exterior angle in this polygon.

2x 2 50
110°
2x

x 1 40
x

4▶ One side of a regular hexagon ABCDEF forms the side G

of a regular polygon with n sides.

Angle GAF = 105°. Work out the value of n. 105°

A F

I
E
B
H

C D
80 SHAPE AND SPACE 1 UNIT 1

5▶ In a party game, a valuable prize is hidden within a triangle formed by an oak tree (O),
an apple tree (A) and a plum tree (P).
a Given that OA = 16 m, AP = 18 m and OP = 20 m, construct the triangle OPA using
a scale of 1 cm = 2 m.
b The prize is equidistant from the apple tree and the plum tree and 12 m from the oak
tree. By careful construction find the distance of the prize from the plum tree.

6▶ The rectangle ABCD represents a map of an area A 30 m B

30 m × 60 m. A mobile phone mast, M, is to be
placed so that it is equidistant from A and B and E
20 m from point E, so that BE : EC = 1 : 2.
60 m
a Draw the map using a scale of 1 cm = 5 m.
b Showing your construction lines clearly, find
the shortest distance of M from D.
D C

Q7 HINT 7▶ The diagram shows the position of two boats, B and C.

Draw each N
bearing from Boat T is on a bearing of 060° from boat B.
the north line
Boat T is on a bearing of 285° from boat C. N
clockwise.
Make sure the a Draw an accurate diagram to show the position
bearing lines are of boat T. C
long enough so b Mark the position of boat T with a cross (X).
that they meet. Label it T. B

8▶ a Show that PQR and RST are similar triangles.

b Work out the missing lengths in the diagram, x and y.

P
y cm
Q
15 cm
9 cm
24 cm R

x cm
S
52 cm
T