SAT Math · Right triangles and trigonometry · medium
Two right triangles are similar, with corresponding angle A in each triangle. In the smaller triangle, (A) = 3/5. What is (A) in the…
Two right triangles are similar, with corresponding angle in each triangle. In the smaller triangle, . What is in the larger, similar triangle?
Answer and explanation
Answer: B: 3/5
Similar triangles have equal corresponding angles, so angle is the same size in both triangles. A trigonometric ratio such as depends only on the angle, not on how big the triangle is: scaling every side by the same factor multiplies the opposite side and the hypotenuse by that factor, and the factor cancels in the ratio. So in the larger triangle too, choice B. Choice A, , is for a 3-4-5 triangle, a mix-up between the opposite and adjacent sides. Choice C assumes the ratio changes with size, which it does not; the scale factor is not needed. Choice D, , squares the ratio, as if a scale factor applied to area changed the sine.
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