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Mathematics — Third Preparatory

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Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line

Mathematics — Third Preparatory

Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line

Overview

Overview

  • Apply the two conditions of similarity and the three similarity cases of triangles, and use them in real-life measurement.
  • Perform a dilation, state its properties and find image coordinates on the plane.
  • Define sine, cosine and tangent in a right triangle, use complementary angles, and evaluate the ratios of 30°, 45° and 60°.
  • Compute the slope of a line, test parallelism and perpendicularity, and write the equation of a line in its different forms.
Geometry and Measurement
├── 3-1 Similarity
│   ├── the two conditions for polygons
│   ├── ratio of perimeters = k, ratio of areas = k²
│   ├── the three cases for triangles
│   └── the line parallel to one side and its applications
├── 3-2 Dilation
│   ├── centre, scale factor, properties
│   └── dilation on the coordinate plane
├── 3-3 Trigonometric ratios in the right triangle
│   ├── opposite, adjacent, hypotenuse
│   ├── sin, cos, tan and complementary angles
│   ├── exact ratios of 30°, 45°, 60°
│   └── finding angles with the calculator
└── 3-4 The straight line
    ├── slope, parallel and perpendicular lines
    └── forms of the equation and the intercepts
Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line · 1 / 13
3-1 The two conditions of similarity and the ratio of perimeters and areas

3-1 The two conditions of similarity and the ratio of perimeters and areas

  • Two polygons are similar when corresponding angles are equal and corresponding sides are proportional — both at once.
  • The common ratio of corresponding sides is the scale factor k; k = 1 gives congruent figures.
  • Ratio of perimeters = k; ratio of areas = k2. So from an area ratio take the square root to get k, and square k to get the area ratio.
  • Any two regular polygons with the same number of sides are similar; any two circles are similar; two rectangles or two rhombi are not necessarily similar.
Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line · 2 / 13
3-2 Cases of similarity of triangles and the parallel line

3-2 Cases of similarity of triangles and the parallel line

Comparison aspectMain ideaKeywords
AA
  • two equal angles (the third follows
  • since the angle sum is 180°)
equalanglesthirdfollows
SSSthe three pairs of corresponding sides proportional — order the sides from smallest to largest before comparingthreepairscorrespondingsides
SAStwo pairs of sides proportional and the included angles equalpairssidesproportionalincluded
•A line parallel to one side of a triangle divides the other two sides proportionally: DE ∥ BC gives AD/DB = AE/EC and AD/AB = AE/AC = DE/BClineparallelsidetriangle
The converse holdsproportional division proves parallelismproportionaldivisionprovesparallelism
•
  • Corresponding altitudes
  • medians and angle bisectors are in the same ratio k as the sides
Correspondingaltitudesmediansangle
Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line · 3 / 13
3-3 Real-life applications of similarity

3-3 Real-life applications of similarity

Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios: a 2 m pole and a tree show similarity of triangles through shadows: a 12 m shadow means the tree is 8 m tall.
Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios: a 2 m pole and a tree show similarity of triangles through shadows: a 12 m shadow means the tree is 8 m tall.
Comparison aspectMain ideaKeywords
Heights from shadows
  • parallel sun rays make similar triangles between object and shadow
  • so height/shadow is constant for all objects at the same instant
parallelraysmakesimilar
Indirect measurement
  • river width
  • tree height or building height using a mirror or a sighting stick
  • which creates two similar triangles
riverwidthtreeheight
Maps, models and plans
  • the scale is a ratio of lengths
  • areas scale by its square
  • so a plan at 1 : 200 shows 1 cm2 for 4 m2 of real floor
scaleratiolengthsareas
•
  • Write the proportion with matching vertices in order
  • then cross-multiply
  • convert units before answering
Writeproportionmatchingvertices
Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line · 4 / 13
3-4 The dilation and its properties

3-4 The dilation and its properties

  • A dilation with centre O and scale factor k maps each point P to P′ on the line OP with OP′ = |k| × OP.
  • k > 1 enlarges, 0 < k < 1 reduces; k > 0 keeps P′ on the same side of O, k < 0 puts it on the opposite side.
  • The image is similar to the original angles are preserved, lengths multiply by |k|, areas multiply by k2.
  • A line and its image are parallel (unless the line passes through the centre, in which case it maps onto itself).
  • The centre, a point and its image are always collinear — that is how a missing centre or scale factor is recovered.
Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line · 5 / 13
3-5 Dilation on the coordinate plane

3-5 Dilation on the coordinate plane

Comparison aspectMain ideaKeywords
With centre at the origin
  • y) → (kx
  • ky)
Example
  • A(2
  • 3) with k = 2 gives A′(4
  • with k = −3 it gives A′(−6
  • −9)
  • on the opposite side of the origin
givesoppositesideorigin
With a centre C(a, b) not at the origin, translate first
  • P′ = C + k(P − C)
  • i.e. x′ = a + k(x − a) and y′ = b + k(y − b)
•Check similarity by comparing side lengths and by verifying that the ratios OA′/OA all equal |k|Checksimilaritycomparingside
Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line · 6 / 13
3-6 Sides relative to an angle, and the definitions of sin, cos and tan

3-6 Sides relative to an angle, and the definitions of sin, cos and tan

  • In a right triangle, for an acute angle θ the opposite side faces θ, the adjacent side touches it, and the hypotenuse lies opposite the right angle and is the longest side.
  • sinθ = opposite/hypotenuse, cosθ = adjacent/hypotenuse, tanθ = opposite/adjacent (SOH-CAH-TOA).
  • The ratios depend on the angle only, not on the size of the triangle — that is why similar triangles give the same values.
  • Because the hypotenuse is longest, sinθ and cosθ are always between 0 and 1 for an acute angle, while tanθ can be any positive number.
  • tanθ = sinθ/cosθ, and sin2θ + cos2θ = 1.
Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line · 7 / 13
3-7 Finding side lengths and complementary angles

3-7 Finding side lengths and complementary angles

  • Choose the ratio that links the known side with the unknown one, substitute and solve; use Pythagoras when two sides are known.
  • Example hypotenuse 10 and angle 30° → opposite = 10 sin 30° = 5, adjacent = 10 cos 30° = 5√3.
  • Two acute angles in a right triangle are complementary (they sum to 90°), hence sinθ = cos(90 − θ), cosθ = sin(90 − θ) and tanθ = cot(90 − θ).
  • So a ratio given for one angle can be read off for its complement — a standard one-mark conversion.
Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line · 8 / 13
3-8 Exact ratios of 30°, 45° and 60°

3-8 Exact ratios of 30°, 45° and 60°

Comparison aspectMain ideaKeywords
From an equilateral triangle of side 2 split by an altitude
  • sin30 = 1/2
  • cos30 = √3/2
  • tan30 = 1/√3 = √3/3
  • sin60 = √3/2
  • cos60 = 1/2
  • tan60 = √3
sin30cos30tan30sin60
From an isosceles right triangle of leg 1
  • sin45 = cos45 = √2/2
  • tan45 = 1
sin45cos45tan45
Useful comparisons
  • as θ grows from 0° to 90°
  • sinθ and tanθ increase while cosθ decreases
growssinθtanθincrease
•
  • Keep surd (exact) forms unless decimals are asked for
  • √3 ≈ 1.732 and √2 ≈ 1.414
Keepsurdexactforms
Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line · 9 / 13
3-9 Using the calculator and applications of trigonometry

3-9 Using the calculator and applications of trigonometry

Comparison aspectMain ideaKeywords
To find a side
  • evaluate the ratio (make sure the calculator is in Degree mode)
  • then multiply or divide as the equation requires
evaluateratiomakesure
To find an angle
  • use the inverse functions sin−1
  • cos−1
  • tan−1 on the ratio
  • the result is the acute angle
  • and rounding is stated to the required degree or minute
inversefunctionsratioresult
Applications
  • the angle of elevation looking up at a tower
  • the angle of depression looking down from a cliff (equal to the elevation by alternate angles)
  • gradient of a road or ramp
  • and the length of a ladder against a wall
angleelevationlookingtower
•
  • Draw the figure
  • mark the right angle and the given angle
  • label known sides
  • then select the ratio — a correct figure earns most of the method marks
Drawfiguremarkright
Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line · 10 / 13
3-10 The slope of a line, parallel and perpendicular lines

3-10 The slope of a line, parallel and perpendicular lines

  • Slope m = (y₂ − y₁)/(x₂ − x₁) = rise over run between any two points of the line; it is the same pair whichever two points are chosen.
  • Positive slope rises to the right, negative falls, zero is a horizontal line, and the slope of a vertical line x = c is undefined.
  • Two non-vertical lines are parallel ⟺ their slopes are equal.
  • Two lines are perpendicular ⟺ the product of their slopes is −1, i.e. one slope is the negative reciprocal of the other.
  • Slope as a gradient a road rising 3 m over 40 m has slope 3/40 = 0.075, often written as a percentage grade.
Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line · 11 / 13
3-11 Equations of a line and the intercepts

3-11 Equations of a line and the intercepts

Comparison aspectMain ideaKeywords
Through the origin with slope my = mx
Slope–intercept form
  • y = mx + b
  • where b is the y-intercept
  • the point (0
point
Given the slope and one point (x₁, y₁)
  • y − y₁ = m(x − x₁) — substitute
  • then rearrange
substitutethenrearrange
Given two points
  • find m from the slope formula first
  • then use point–slope
findslopeformulafirst
Standard form Ax + By = C
  • the x-intercept is (C/A
  • 0) — set y = 0
  • the y-intercept is (0
  • C/B) — set x = 0
intercept
•
  • A line parallel to a given line keeps its slope
  • a perpendicular line takes the negative reciprocal — this is how most “find the equation” items are solved
lineparallelgivenkeeps
•Check the final equation by substituting the given point(s) before answeringCheckfinalequationsubstituting
Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line · 12 / 13
Exam traps and key takeaways

Exam traps and key takeaways

💡 High-yield traps

  • Similarity needs equal angles and proportional sides; one alone is not sufficient.
  • Perimeters scale by k, areas by k2 — the question usually asks for the other one.
  • In SAS similarity the equal angle must be the included angle.
  • A dilation with negative k flips the figure through the centre; coordinates become kx, ky with the sign kept.
  • Dilation keeps angles unchanged — a wrong option often claims the angle is multiplied too.
  • sin, cos and tan are defined in a right triangle; identify the hypotenuse first, it is always opposite the right angle.
  • sin30 = 1/2 and cos30 = √3/2; swapping them is the most common exact-value error.
  • Complementary-angle questions test sinθ = cos(90 − θ) convert before looking for a triangle.
  • Leaving the calculator in radian mode destroys every numerical trig answer.
  • A vertical line has undefined slope, a horizontal line slope 0 — not the reverse.
  • Perpendicular means negative reciprocal, not simply the opposite sign.
  • In y = mx + b, b is the y-intercept; the x-intercept must be computed by setting y = 0.
Unit 3: Similarity, Dilation, Trigonometric Ratios and the Straight Line · 13 / 13