http://www.ck12.org Chapter 7. Similarity
7.3 Similar Polygons and Scale Factors
Here you’ll learn how to identify similar polygons and how to use scale factors to solve for missing sides of similar
polygons.
What if you were comparing a baseball diamond and a softball diamond? A baseball diamond is a square with 90
foot sides. A softball diamond is a square with 60 foot sides. Are the two diamonds similar? If so, what is the scale
factor? After completing this Concept, you’ll be able to use your knowledge of similar polygons to answer these
questions.
Watch This
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Click image to the left for more content.CK-12 Foundation: Chapter7SimilarPolygonsandScaleFactorsA
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Click image to the left for more content.James Sousa:SimilarPolygons
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Click image to the left for more content.James Sousa:Scale Factor
Guidance
Similar polygonsare two polygons with the same shape, but not necessarily the same size. Similar polygons have
corresponding angles that arecongruent,and corresponding sides that areproportional.
These polygons arenot similar:
Think about similar polygons as enlarging or shrinking the same shape. The symbol∼is used to represent similarity.
Specific types of triangles, quadrilaterals, and polygons will always be similar. For example,all equilateral