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Flashcards · J560 · Topic 9

Congruence and similarity flashcards

21 cards on Topic 9, subtopics 9.01 to 9.04. Pick a subtopic or study them all.

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9.01 Plane isometric transformations

What must you give to describe a transformation fully?
Reflection: the mirror line. Rotation: centre, angle and direction. Translation: a column vector. Reflection, rotation and translation keep lengths and angles, so the image is congruent.
Reflection in y = x and in y = −x
y = x: swap the coordinates, (x, y) → (y, x). y = −x: swap and change both signs, (x, y) → (−y, −x).
Rotation about the origin through 90° clockwise and 90° anticlockwise
90° clockwise: (x, y) → (y, −x). 90° anticlockwise: (x, y) → (−y, x). 180°: (x, y) → (−x, −y).
A translation maps (7, 2) to (3, 6). Find the column vector.
vector = image − object: top 3 − 7 = −4, bottom 6 − 2 = 4, so (−4 over 4). The inverse translation is (4 over −4).
Invariant points of a reflection, rotation and translationHigher
Reflection: every point on the mirror line. Rotation: the centre. Translation: none.
What single transformation is a reflection in two parallel lines?Higher
A translation, at right angles to the lines, of twice the gap between them, from the first line towards the second.

9.02 Congruence

Congruent shapes
Exactly the same shape and size: one can be moved onto the other by translation, rotation or reflection. (Similar shapes have the same shape but may differ in size.)
The four conditions for congruent triangles
SSS: three pairs of sides. SAS: two sides and the included angle. ASA: two angles and a corresponding side. RHS: right angle, hypotenuse and one other side.
Which conditions do not prove congruence?
AAA (same shape, size may differ) and SSA, two sides with a non-included angle (can give two different triangles).
How do you set out a congruence proof?
1. Name the triangles with matching letters. 2. State three equal pairs, each with a reason. 3. Name the condition and say the triangles are congruent. 4. State what follows.
An isosceles triangle has apex angle 56°. Find each base angle.
Base angles are equal: (180° − 56°) ÷ 2 = 62°.

9.03 Plane vector geometry

Column vector from A to B
Top: x of B − x of A. Bottom: y of B − y of A. The top number is right (+) or left (−); the bottom is up (+) or down (−).
Vector rules: BA, AB + BC, and AB in terms of OA and OB
BA = −AB (same size, opposite direction). AB + BC = AC. AB = OB − OA.
When are two vectors parallel?
When one is a number times the other: a = k × b. A negative k means opposite directions.
How do you prove points are collinear with vectors?Higher
Show that two vectors from a shared point are multiples of each other, and state the shared point.
P divides AB in the ratio m : n. Write AP in terms of AB.Higher
AP = m/(m + n) × AB

9.04 Similarity

Tests for similar triangles
Any one: all three pairs of sides in the same ratio; two pairs of sides in the same ratio with equal included angles; or two pairs of equal angles (the third must then be equal too).
How do you find a missing length in similar shapes?
Find the scale factor from a pair of matching sides (new ÷ original). Multiply to go from smaller to larger, divide to go from larger to smaller. Check the size makes sense.
Describing an enlargement fully, and finding its centre
Give the word enlargement, the scale factor and the centre. To find the centre, draw lines through pairs of matching vertices: they meet at the centre.
Enlarge (8, 6) with centre (2, 2) and scale factor −1/2Higher
Steps from the centre: right 6, up 4. Multiply by −1/2: left 3, down 2. Image: (−1, 0). A negative scale factor puts the image on the other side of the centre, turned 180°.
Lengths in the ratio 3 : 5. Ratio of areas and of volumes?Higher
Areas: 3² : 5² = 9 : 25. Volumes: 3³ : 5³ = 27 : 125. General: length factor k gives area factor k² and volume factor k³.