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JMJ
Name: hazel Grade and Section: 9A
Subject-Teacher: Math 9 – secret Date: 3 March 2023

Mathematics 9 - 3rd Quarter

Similar Triangles
Scaffold 3
The concept of similar triangles is one with many practical applications in real life. It is useful for
indirectly determining the sizes of items which are difficult to measure by hand.
For your scaffold activity, do the following:
Look for any 2 triangular shape structures, objects or things found in your house or in your place. Take a
picture of them.

Find the actual lengths of their sides using measuring devices such as ruler, meter stick, tape measure,
etc. and also get their angles by using a protractor or any measuring applications.
OBJECT 1 OBJECT 2

Sides: Sides:
 AB=23.75 cm  XY =85.1 cm
 BC=12 cm  YZ=43 cm
 AC=20.5 cm  XZ =73.5 cm
Angle: Angle:
 ∠ A=30°  ∠ X =30 °
 ∠ B=60 °  ∠ Y =60°
 ∠C=90  ∠ Z=90 °

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Compare the two triangles whether similar or not and justify using the theorems on similarity of
triangles.

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION – STATING THE CONDITIONS OF

SIMILARITY
The definition of similar triangles is two or more triangles that have the same shape, with the only
difference is the size. To determine if two triangles are similar, we must satisfy two conditions:

CONDITION 1. The corresponding angles are congruent. Using the given illustrations, ∠A
corresponds to ∠X, ∠B corresponds to ∠Y and ∠C corresponds to ∠Z, and;
CONDITION 2. The corresponding sides are proportional. Using the same illustrations, we cam
make a proportion formula that is:
AB BC AC
= =
XY YZ XZ
23.75 12 20.5
= =
85.1 43 73.5
If we convert all of these into decimal by dividing the numerator with the denominator, we get
approximate values of:
0.279=0.279=0.279
Showing that these values are proportional to each other.
That makes the similarity statement ΔABC ΔXYZ

CHAPTER 2: SIMILAR TRIANGLES – THEOREMS AND POSTULATES

There are many theorems and postulates on the similarity of triangles, and we will use the following
to prove that these triangles are similar:
 THEOREM 78. The SSS Similarity Theorem.
 POSTULATE 21. The AAA Similarity Postulate.
 THEOREM 77. The SAS Similarity Theorem.
o THEOREM 79. The L-L Similarity Theorem.
o THEOREM 80. The H-L Similarity Theorem.
 THEOREM 75. The AA Similarity Theorem.

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THEOREM 78. The SSS Similarity Theorem. If the sides of one triangle are proportional to the
corresponding sides of a second triangle, then the triangles are similar.

In the introduction, we discussed that the second condition states that triangles are similar when the sides
are proportional.
AB BC AC
= =
XY YZ XZ
23.75 12 20.5
= =
85.1 43 73.5
In this showcase, we will use the properties of proportion, mainly the means-extremes product property
to see if these sides are proportional.
AB BC 23.75 12
So, let’s start with = or = . Using the means-extremes product property, we form the
XY YZ 85.1 43
formula ( AB )( YZ )=( XY ) ( BC ) or ( 23.75 ) ( 43 ) =( 85.1 )( 12 ) which can both approximately equal to
BC AC 12 20.5
1021.2. Let’s now go to = or = . Using the same property, we form another formula
YZ XZ 43 73.5
( BC ) ( XZ ) =( YZ )( AC ) or ( 23.75 ) ( 43 ) =( 85.1 )( 12 ) which can both equal to 882. So, if we prove that
AB BC BC AC AB AC
= and = , we can automatically say that = because of the transitive theory (If
XY YZ YZ XZ XY XZ
a=b and b=c, then a=c).

CONCLUSION: ΔABC ΔXYZ is similar by SSS Similarity Theorem.

POSTULATE 21. The AAA Similarity Postulate. If three angles of one triangle are congruent to
three angles of another triangle, then the two triangles are similar.

We also discussed about this in the introduction, where congruent angles make similar triangles.

Looking at the illustration:

 ∠A ≅ ∠X
 ∠B ≅ ∠Y
 ∠C ≅ ∠Z

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 CONCLUSION: ΔABC ΔXYZ is similar by AAA Similarity Theorem.
THEOREM 77. The SAS Similarity Theorem. If two sides of one triangle are proportional to the
corresponding two sides of another triangle and their respective included angles are congruent, then the
triangles are similar.

Since these are right triangles, as it has one right triangle, ∠C ≅ ∠Z, using Theorem 79 and 80 is the
same as proving Theorem 77, as it involves two sides of a triangle and one angle.
THEOREM 79. The L-L Similarity Theorem THEOREM 80. The H-L Similarity Theorem
(Use the legs of the right triangle) (Use the hypotenuse and a leg of the right
triangle)
Use segments AC and BC from ΔABC and XZ Use segments AB and BC from ΔABC and XY
and YZ from ΔXYZ . and YZ from ΔXYZ .

∠C ≅ ∠Z (both right triangles) ∠C ≅ ∠Z (both right triangles)

*The leg is the two segments making the right *The hypotenuse is a segment formed by the two
triangle. endpoints of the right angle.

BC AC AB BC
= =
YZ XZ XY YZ

12 20.5 23.75 12
= =
43 73.5 85.1 43

( 23.75 ) ( 43 ) =( 85.1 )( 12 ) ( 23.75 ) ( 43 ) =( 85.1 )( 12 )

882=882 1021.2=1021.2

CONCLUSION: ΔABC ΔXYZ is similar by SAS Similarity Theorem, using L-L and H-L
Theorems.

THEOREM 77. The AA Similarity Theorem. If two triangles have two pairs of congruent angles,
then the triangles are similar.
Let’s say we are only given the values ∠C, ∠Z, ∠A and ∠Y. Since both ∠C and ∠Z are right angles,
then those angles are congruent.
Now we have ∠C and ∠A, we only need to figure out ∠B. The figure states that ∠A is 30 ° , so using the
sum of interior angles of a triangle, 180 °−( ∠ A+∠C )=∠ B or 180 °−( 90 ° +30 ° )=60 ° . That means
∠B = 60 ° .
We also see that ∠Y is given as 60 ° , then we can put together that ∠B ≅ ∠Y and ∠C ≅ ∠Z, then ∠A
≅ ∠X, which means that ∠X is 30 ° .

CONCLUSION: ΔABC ΔXYZ is similar by AA Similarity Theorem.

FINAL RESULT: These two are similar triangles. They satisfy the two conditions of similar

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 polygons and they are proven similar with 4 similarity theorems and postulates.

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