Question 158298: I have a triangle and the sides are 150 cm 175 cm and 200 cm. I have 25 similar trianles that I need to use to tile the entire area of this triangle. I am supposed to tell the lenghts of the sides of the small triangles used in the tiling and explain how I figured it out. I think that the sides are 6cm 7cm and 8cm each, but I'm not sure how I got that. Am I going in the right direction and if so, how do I explain it.
Answer by scott8148(6628)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! the ratio of the areas of similar figures is the square of the ratio of their side lengths
look at a square of side length s, the area is s^2
__ if you double the side length, the area is 2s*2s or 4s^2
__ doubling the side length, quadruples the area (square relation)
if the area of a tiling triangle is 1/25, then the side length must be 1/5
__ 1/5 squared is 1/25
so the side lengths are 30cm, 35cm, and 40cm
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