10/16/2019 Looking for Similar Triangles on the GMAT | Veritas Prep

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Looking for Similar Triangles on the GMAT

 March 24, 2014 (https://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2014/03/looking-for-similar- 
triangles-on-the-gmat/)
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Our Geometry book discusses the various rules we use to
recognize similar triangles such as SSS, AA, SAS and RHS so we 
are assuming that we needn’t take those up here.
(https://twitter.com/veritasprepgmat)

We are also assuming that you are comfortable with the figures
that beg you to think about similar triangles such as 
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(https://www.veritasprep.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/SimilarTriangles1.jpg)
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Try to figure out the similar triangles and the reason they are similar in each one of these
Integrated Reasoning Practic…
cases. (Angles that look 90 are 90). Most of the figures have right angles/parallel lines.
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This topic was also discussed by David Newland in a rather engaging post last week. You
must check it out (http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2014/03/gmat-at-the-movies-what- MBA Application Timeline (ht…
austin-powers-can-teach-you-about-similar-trianges/) for its content as well as its context!
Register for the GMAT (https:…

What we would like to discuss today are situations where most people do not think
Veritas Prep Discount Codes …
about similar triangles but if they do, it would make the question very easy for them. But
before we do that, we would like to discuss a concept related to similar triangles which is
very useful but not discussed often.

We already know that sides of similar triangles are in the same ratio. Say two triangles
have sides a, b, c and A, B, C respectively. Then, a/A = b/B = c/C = k

Note that the altitudes of the two triangles will also be in the same ratio, ‘k’, since all
lengths have the ratio ‘k’.

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10/16/2019 Looking for Similar Triangles on the GMAT | Veritas Prep

Then what is the relation between the areas of the two triangles? Since the ratio of the
bases is k and the ratio of the altitudes is also k, the ratio of the areas will be k*k = k^2.

So if there are two similar triangles such that their sides are in the ratio 1:2, their areas
will be in the ratio 1:4.

Now we are all ready to tackle the question we have in mind.

Question: In the given figure, ABCD is a parallelogram and E, F, G and H are midpoints of
its respective sides. What is the ratio of the shaded area to that of the un-shaded area?

(https://www.veritasprep.com/blog/wp-

content/uploads/2014/03/SimilarTriangles2.jpg)

(A)   3:8

(B)   3:5

(C)   5:8

(D)   8:5

(E)    5:3

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10/16/2019 Looking for Similar Triangles on the GMAT | Veritas Prep

Solution: There are many ways to do this question but we will look at the method using
similar triangles (obviously!).

Assume the area of the parallelogram is 8P. In a parallelogram, the lengths of opposite
sides are the same. The two triangles formed by the diagonal and two sides are similar by
SSS and the ratio of their sides is 1. So they will have equal areas of 4P each (look at the
figures in second row below)

(https://www.veritasprep.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/SimilarTriangles31.jpg)

Now look at the original figure.

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10/16/2019 Looking for Similar Triangles on the GMAT | Veritas Prep

HE is formed by joining the mid-points of AD and AB. So AH/AD = AE/AB = 1/2 and
included angle A is common. Hence by SAS rule, triangle AHE is similar to triangle ADB. If
the ratio of sides is 1/2, ratio of areas will be 1/4.

Since area of triangle ADB is 4P, area of AHE is P. We have 3 such triangles, AHE, DHG
and CGF which are not shaded so the area of these three triangles together will be 3P.

The total area of parallelogram is 8P and the unshaded region is 3P. So the shaded
region must be 5P.

Hence, area of shaded region : Area of unshaded region = 5:3

Answer (E)

Try to think of other ways in which you can solve this question.

Karishma (https://plus.google.com/u/0/108713635885826841482/?rel=author), a
Computer Engineer with a keen interest in alternative Mathematical approaches, has
mentored students in the continents of Asia, Europe and North America. She teaches
the GMAT (http://www.veritasprep.com/gmat/) for Veritas Prep and regularly participates
in content development projects such as this blog!

 GMAT (https://www.veritasprep.com/blog/category/gmat/), Quarter Wit, Quarter

Wisdom (https://www.veritasprep.com/blog/category/gmat/quarter-wit-quarter-

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