West Contra Costa Unified School District
Investigating Similar Triangles
Let your use of the resource be in proportion to its usefulness. Pupils investigate similar triangles by measuring side lengths and considering given angle measures. The results of the investigation help develop generalizations about...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Identifying Similar Triangles
Math whizzes work with angle sums and exterior angles to figure out the measure of other angles. This particular publication provides comprehensive support in the form of an anticipatory activity, questions designed to prompt discussion,...
Everyday Mathematics
Mathematics Within: Slope and Triangles
Learners discover a method for determining the slope of a line by creating and comparing similar triangles. They fold coordinate grids to make three similar triangles then measure the sides to compare the relationships between the...
EngageNY
The Angle-Angle (AA) Criterion for Two Triangles to Be Similar
What do you need to prove triangles are similar? Learners answer this question through a construction exploration. Once they establish the criteria, they use the congruence and proportionality properties of similar objects to find...
Virginia Department of Education
Similar Triangles
Pupils work in pairs to investigate what it takes to prove that two triangles are similar. They work through various shortcuts to find which are enough to show a similarity relationship between the triangles. Small groups work with the...
Illustrative Mathematics
Similar Triangles
Proving triangles are similar is often an exercise in applying one of the many theorems young geometers memorize, like the AA similarity criteria. But proving that the criteria themselves are valid from basic principles is a great...
Curated OER
Similar Triangles and Proportions
Pupils investigate similar triangles and proportions as they make conjectures about the length of sides of similar triangles. For this lesson plan, have your class construct similar triangles using Cabri Jr so that they share a common...
Illustrative Mathematics
Joining Two Midpoints of Sides of a Triangle
Without ever using the actual term, this exercise has the learner develop the key properties of the midsegment of a triangle. This task leads the class to discover a proof of similar triangles using the properties of parallel...
Curated OER
Measurement of Objects Using Similar Triangles in The Plane
Young scholars use similar triangles and a sight tool to find the height and distance between large objects. In this similar triangles lesson plan, students use a constructed sight tool to measure the distance and height of an object...
EngageNY
The Definition of Sine, Cosine, and Tangent
Introduce your classes to a new world of mathematics. Pupils learn to call trigonometric ratios by their given names: sine, cosine, and tangent. They find ratios and use known ratios to discover missing sides of similar...
Curated OER
Triangle's Interior Angles
Given a pair of parallel lines and a triangle in between, geometers prove that the sum of the interior angles is 180 degrees. This quick quest can be used as a pop quiz or exit ticket for your geometry class.
EngageNY
Informal Proof of AA Criterion for Similarity
What does it take to show two triangles are similar? The 11th segment in a series of 16 introduces the AA Criterion for Similarity. A discussion provides an informal proof of the theorem. Exercises and problems require scholars to apply...
EngageNY
Special Relationships Within Right Triangles—Dividing into Two Similar Sub-Triangles
Why are right triangles so special? Pupils begin their study of right triangles by examining similar right triangles. Verifying through proofs, scholars recognize the three similar right triangles formed by drawing the altitude. Once...
EngageNY
Prove the Pythagorean Theorem Using Similarity
Amaze your classes with the ability to find side lengths of triangles immediately — they'll all want to know your trick! Learners use the Pythagorean Theorem and special right triangle relationships to find missing side lengths.
EngageNY
Incredibly Useful Ratios
Start the exploration of trigonometry off right! Pupils build on their understanding of similarity in this lesson plan that introduces the three trigonometric ratios. They first learn to identify opposite and adjacent...
EngageNY
Similar Triangles in Circle-Secant (or Circle-Secant-Tangent) Diagrams
First angle measures, now segment lengths. High schoolers first measure segments formed by secants that intersect interior to a circle, secants that intersect exterior to a circle, and a secant and a tangent that intersect exterior to a...
Curated OER
SuperShapes, Part 1; "Tri"ing Triangles
An outstanding lesson on triangles awaits your math scholars. Learners focus on the triangle, which is the strongest of all polygons. They see the role that triangles play in the design of buildings, and learn about triangle...
Curated OER
Corresponding Parts of Similar Triangles
Here is a lesson that has learners take a look at corresponding parts of similar triangles, ratios of similarity, reductions and enlargements. They'll manipulate the scale factor (r) to observe the changes in similar triangles and then...
Curated OER
Similarity and Dilations - Discover Properties of Similar Figures
Learners investigate properties of similar figures. In this properties of similar figures lesson, pupils construct similar figures using Cabri Jr. They dilate their figure to create a similar one, and discuss the relationships between...
Curated OER
Nested Similar Triangles
Nested triangles have been created so that they share a common vertex and vertex angle. Learners drag the endpoints of the side that is opposite the common angle to discover the conditions that make the nested triangles similar. When...
EngageNY
How Far Away Is the Moon?
Does the space shuttle have an odometer? Maybe, but all that is needed to determine the distance to the moon is a little geometry! The lesson asks scholars to sketch the relationship of the Earth and moon using shadows of an eclipse....
Willow Tree
Ratios and Proportions with Congruent and Similar Polygons
Investigate how similar and congruent figures compare. Learners understand congruent figures have congruent sides and angles, but similar figures only have congruent angles — their sides are proportional. After learning the...
EngageNY
The Side-Angle-Side (SAS) and Side-Side-Side (SSS) Criteria for Two Triangles to Be Similar
Playing with mathematics can invoke curiosity and excitement. As pupils construct triangles with given criteria, they determine the necessary requirements to support similarity. After determining the criteria, they practice...
Curated OER
Similar Triangles
Ninth graders find the height of every day objects using techniques learned through postulates that allow triangles in a problem to be similar. They calculate the length of a missing side and solve proportions.