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Similarity in Right Triangles

1. The document discusses right triangles where an altitude is drawn to the hypotenuse, dividing it into two segments and forming two similar, right triangles. 2. It explores finding angle measures of the similar triangles using congruence and finding side lengths of corresponding sides that are in the same ratio between the similar triangles. 3. The document then discusses using proportions to find geometric means, where the geometric mean of two numbers a and b is the mean that makes the proportions a/x = x/b true. It provides examples of finding geometric means of side lengths in similar right triangles.

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943 views2 pages

Similarity in Right Triangles

1. The document discusses right triangles where an altitude is drawn to the hypotenuse, dividing it into two segments and forming two similar, right triangles. 2. It explores finding angle measures of the similar triangles using congruence and finding side lengths of corresponding sides that are in the same ratio between the similar triangles. 3. The document then discusses using proportions to find geometric means, where the geometric mean of two numbers a and b is the mean that makes the proportions a/x = x/b true. It provides examples of finding geometric means of side lengths in similar right triangles.

Uploaded by

jharrington7191
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Similarity in right triangles

In this activity, you will explore right triangles that have an altitude drawn to the hypotenuse of a right triangle,
and the similar triangles formed by the hypotenuse.

1. In the Gizmotm, observe ABC.

a. In ABC, which angle is the right angle? Which sides are the legs? Which side is the hypotenuse?
b. An altitude is drawn from A to the hypotenuse. Which segment is this altitude? Name two right angles that
the altitude forms. Point D divides the hypotenuse into two segments. What are they?

c. Altitude SEG:AD divides ABC into two smaller triangles. Name those triangles. Are the smaller triangles
obtuse, acute, or right? Why?
d. Drag the vertices to see other right triangles with an altitude drawn to the hypotenuse. What is always true
about the two smaller triangles formed?
2. Click on Animate to separate the triangles. Click Flip one time to orient the two smaller triangles the same as
1.

a. What is the right angle in 1? In 2? In 3?

b. Click on Click to measure angles and use the interactive protractor to find the measure of C in 1. (For

help using the protractor, click on Gizmo help, below the Gizmo.) Which angle is this congruent to in 2?

In 3?
c. What is the quickest way to find the remaining angle measures? State the remaining angle measures for the
three triangles.

d. Based on your observations about the angle measures, what is the relationship of 1, 2, and 3? Explain
how you know that.

e. In 1, 2, and 3, which sides are corresponding? Click on Show side lengths and select Labels to check
your answers. Each column in the table shows the corresponding sides for all three triangles. Since the
three triangles are similar, what do you know about the lengths of corresponding sides?
Geometric means
In this activity, you will apply what you have learned about similarity in right triangles to finding geometric means.

1. When a proportion can be written in the form = , x is the geometric mean. The geometric mean of 2 and 18

is 6, because = . (Notice that 2 • 18 = 6 • 6.) Finding the geometric mean of two numbers will involve
setting up a proportion and then using the Cross-Product Property to solve it. Find the geometric means of the
numbers given below. If necessary, round your answer to the nearest hundredth.
a. 2 and 32
b. 3 and 12
c. 10 and 20
2. In a right triangle, the altitude to the hypotenuse divides the hypotenuse into two segments. The length of a
leg is the geometric mean of the lengths of the adjacent hypotenuse segment and the length of the
hypotenuse. To help you answer the following questions, be sure that all three triangles are visible in the
Gizmo. If only one triangle is visible, click on Animate. Select Show side lengths and click on Labels.
a. Make a proportion illustrating this statement using the letters CD, AC, and BC. Which two similar triangles
allow you to form this proportion? Which value is the geometric mean of the other two values?
b. Make a proportion illustrating that statement using the letters AB, BC, and BD. Which two similar triangles
allow you to form this proportion? Which value is the geometric mean of the other two?
c. Under Show side lengths, click on Values. Substitute these values into the proportions that you made in
parts a and b to verify them. State the geometric means that you found.
3. In a right triangle, the length of the altitude to the hypotenuse is the geometric mean of the lengths of the
segments of the hypotenuse formed by the altitude. With Show side lengths selected, click on Labels. Drag

the vertices to reshape ABC.


a. Make a proportion illustrating the statement above using AD, BD, and CD. What two triangles are similar,
allowing you to write this proportion? First, write the proportion using letters.
b. Under Show side lengths, click on Values. Substitute the actual lengths into your proportion. Use the
Cross-Product Property to verify that it is true. Which number is the geometric mean of the other two?

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