Similarity

Similar figures are identical in shape, but not necessarily in size.

For example, two circles are always similar:

Two squares are always similar:

And two rectangles could be similar:

But often will not be:

Similar figures
Look at these similar figures:

B is an enlargement of A. The lengths have all doubled, but notice that the angles must stay the
same.

Remember that for any pair of similar figures, corresponding sides are in the same ratio and
corresponding angles are equal.

Similar figures are identical in shape, but not necessarily in size. A missing length, area or
volume on a reduction/enlargement figure can be calculated by first finding the scale factor.

Linear scale factor

The size of an enlargement/reduction is described by its scale factor.

For example, a scale factor of 2 means that the new shape is twice the size of the original.

A scale factor of 3 means that the new shape is three times the size of the original.
To calculate the scale factor, we use the following:

You can get the 'big' and 'small' from the corresponding sides on the figures.

Example

The rectangles pqrs and PQRS are similar. What is the length of PS?

Answer

PS is on the bigger rectangle, therefore we will be calculating an enlargement scale factor first.

7
Therefore rectangle PQRS is 4 times bigger than rectangle pqrs.

7
So, PS=4 ×9=15.75cm

(You can type in your calculator 7 ÷ 4 × 9)

Now try these example questions.

Question

wxyz and WXYZ are similar figures. What is the length of XY?

Question

What is the size of angle WXY?

Similar areas and volumes

Similar areas

We already know that if two shapes are similar their corresponding sides are in the same ratio
and their corresponding angles are equal.

When calculating a missing area, we need to calculate the Area Scale Factor.

Area Scale Factor (ASF) = (Linear Scale Factor)2

Example

The figures below are similar. Calculate the missing area.

Similar volumes

When calculating a missing volume, we need to calculate the Volume Scale Factor.

Volume Scale Factor (VSF) = (Linear Scale Factor)3

Example

The vases below are similar. Calculate the missing volume.

Now try the example questions below.

Question

Two similar figures have corresponding sides 3cm and 5cm. The area of the smaller one is 12
cm2. What is the area of the larger one? Give your answer to 1 decimal place.

Question

Two similar objects have corresponding sides 4cm and 7cm. The volume of the larger one is
230 cm3. What is the volume of the smaller one? Give your answer to 1 decimal place.

Question

These two shapes are similar. What is the length of x?

(This time we start with the Area Scale Factor and have to get back to the Linear Scale Factor).
Question