document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=609328>Question 609328</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> triangle ABC has sides of lengths of 12, 15 and 17.  The smallest side of a similar triangle has length 5.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "What is the perimeter of the similar triangle?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "The area of the larger triangle is __________ times the area of the smaller triangle.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "12+15+17=44    12-5  5+8+10           \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Thanks for the help! </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #383682 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=math-vortex><B>math-vortex(648)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-11.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=math-vortex><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=math-vortex><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=383682\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Hi, there--<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The triangles are similar, so their corresponding sides are proportional. Similar triangles have the same shape, but differ by some scale factor (like enlarging or shrinking on a copier). The key to solving problems with similar figures is to set up proportions between corresponding sides.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The shortest side on the small triangle corresponds to the side of triangle ABC with length 12 since it is the shortest side. We can set up a ratio to find the scale factor--12:5, or 2.4:1. The scale factor from the small triangle to the larger is 2.4.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I. PERIMETER<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let's have P be the perimeter of the smaller triangle. The perimeters of the two triangles will <BR>\n" );
document.write( " differ by the same scale factor. To find the perimeter, we write a proportion.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=P%2F44=5%2F12 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"P%2F44=5%2F12\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=P=44%2F2.4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"P=44%2F2.4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=P=18%261%2F3 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"P=18%261%2F3\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "II. AREA<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Area is a bit different. The area of similar figures differ by the SQUARE of the scale factor. There is a nice explanation about why this is the case at this link. (Scroll down to #3.)<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/triangles-similar-theorems.html<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "In this case, the square of 2.4 is 5.76. The area of the large triangle is 5.76 times the area of the small triangle. <BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Hope this helps. Feel free to email if you have questions.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Ms.Figgy<BR>\n" );
document.write( "math.in.the.vortex@gmail.com\r<BR>\n" );
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