Similar Triangles

Similar shapes
• Are Enlargements of each other
• Corresponding angles are equal
• Sides are related by the same
scale factor
Similar Triangles
Triangles are similar if matching
100º angles remain the same size.
30º
50º

100º

30º
50º
Show that these triangles are similar
10º

50º 120º

120º
10º
50º
 To calculate a length

5
15 4
5x 3 6 x3
Scale factor 3

15
1 12
3
18
Scale factor 1/3
 Harder example
A
3
4
D E
6

C
B

Triangle ABC is similar to triangle ADE.

DE is parallel to BC.

Calculate the length of BC

 Harder example
A
3
4 E
D 9

C
B 12
9x 3
3
 …and then…
AB & DE are parallel Explain why ABC is similar to CDE

A 5 <CED = <BAC Alternate Angles

B
<EDC = <ABC Alternate Angles
<ECD = <ACB Vert Opp Angles
3
C

D E
?

Triangle ABC is similar to Triangle CDE

 …and then…
Calculate the length of DE AC corresponds to CE

Scale Factor = 2
A 5
B
AB corresponds to DE
DE = 2 x AB
3
C DE = 10cm

D E
?
Summary – Similar shapes
• To calculate missing sides, we first of
all need the scale factor
• We then either multiply or divide by
the scale factor
• To show that 2 shapes are similar we
can either show that all of the sides
are connected by the scale factor or
show that matching angles are the
same