Skip to content
IGCSE·Tuition
Mathematics · Practice

Similarity, congruence and scale: mixed practice

Knowing each rule separately is one thing, and choosing the right one when the question does not tell you is another.

This set mixes the five lessons in this module. You will match corresponding sides, use a linear scale factor, link it to area and volume, and decide between similar and congruent. The questions go from easier to harder.

Write your own answer on paper first, then open the worked solution. Mark each one as right, slip or stuck in your mistake log, and use the routing section at the end to choose what to revisit. Unit conversions are part of the practice, so show them.

Questions

1. In triangle ABC, A = 35°, B = 80°, C = 65°. In triangle PQR, P = 80°, Q = 65°, R = 35°. Which side of PQR corresponds to AB?

Show answer

Match the angles: A = 35° matches R, and B = 80° matches P. So AB corresponds to RP.

Check: C = 65° matches Q, so BC corresponds to PQ and CA corresponds to QR.

2. Two triangles are similar. A side of 6 cm in the smaller triangle matches a side of 15 cm in the larger. Another side of the smaller triangle is 8 cm. Find the corresponding side in the larger triangle.

Show answer

Scale factor = 15 ÷ 6 = 2.5. Corresponding side = 8 × 2.5 = 20 cm.

Check: 6 × 2.5 = 15, and 20 ÷ 8 = 2.5.

3. A map has scale 1 : 25 000. Two villages are 4.8 cm apart on the map. How far apart are they in kilometres?

Show answer

Real distance = 4.8 × 25 000 = 120 000 cm. Since 100 000 cm = 1 km, this is 1.2 km.

Check: 1 cm on the map is 25 000 cm = 250 m, and 4.8 × 250 = 1200 m = 1.2 km.

4. A shape has area 9 cm². It is enlarged by scale factor 4. Find the area of the image.

Show answer

Area factor = 4² = 16. New area = 9 × 16 = 144 cm².

Check: 9 × 10 = 90 and 9 × 6 = 54, and 90 + 54 = 144.

5. Two similar shapes have areas 32 cm² and 50 cm². A side of the smaller shape is 12 cm. Find the corresponding side of the larger shape.

Show answer

Area ratio = 50/32 = 25/16. Square root = 5/4 = 1.25. Side = 12 × 1.25 = 15 cm.

Check: 1.25² = 1.5625 and 32 × 1.5625 = 50.

6. On a floor plan with scale 1 : 200, a room measures 5 cm by 3 cm. Find the real floor area in m².

Show answer

Plan area = 5 × 3 = 15 cm². Area factor = 200² = 40 000. Real area = 15 × 40 000 = 600 000 cm². Since 10 000 cm² = 1 m², this is 60 m².

Check by lengths: 5 × 200 = 1000 cm = 10 m, and 3 × 200 = 600 cm = 6 m. Then 10 × 6 = 60 m².

7. Two similar jugs are 10 cm and 15 cm tall. The smaller holds 400 ml. How much does the larger hold?

Show answer

Scale factor = 15 ÷ 10 = 1.5. Volume factor = 1.5³ = 3.375. Capacity = 400 × 3.375 = 1350 ml.

Check: 400 × 3 = 1200 and 400 × 0.375 = 150, and 1200 + 150 = 1350.

8. Two similar solids have volumes 16 cm³ and 54 cm³. The surface area of the smaller solid is 40 cm². Find the surface area of the larger solid.

Show answer

Volume ratio = 54/16 = 27/8. Cube root = 3/2, so the length factor is 1.5. Area factor = 1.5² = 2.25. Surface area = 40 × 2.25 = 90 cm².

Check: 40 × 2 = 80 and 40 × 0.25 = 10, and 80 + 10 = 90.

9. Two solid statues are made of the same material and are similar. Their heights are 20 cm and 50 cm. The smaller has mass 0.8 kg. Find the mass of the larger.

Show answer

Scale factor = 50 ÷ 20 = 2.5. Mass is proportional to volume for the same material, so the factor is 2.5³ = 15.625. Mass = 0.8 × 15.625 = 12.5 kg.

Check: 15.625 × 0.8 = 12.5, and 12.5 ÷ 0.8 = 15.625.

10. In triangle ABC, AB = 8 cm, BC = 11 cm and angle A = 40°. In triangle DEF, DE = 8 cm, EF = 11 cm and angle D = 40°. A student writes “congruent by SAS”. Is this reasoning valid? Explain.

Show answer

No. For SAS, the angle must lie between the two given sides. Angle A lies between AB and AC, not between AB and BC. The angle given is opposite the side BC (11 cm), so this is two sides and a non-included angle. That information does not prove congruence.

If you got these wrong

Use the pattern of your errors to choose what to revisit.

Keep any question you missed in the mistake log and retest queue and try it again after a few days.

What to do next

Return to the module overview to re-plan your route, or work through angles and geometric reasoning if corresponding angles still feel shaky. If you want someone to check your working and not only your answers, a teacher in online one-to-one Mathematics tuition can go through it with you.

Updated:

Your next step

If the same kind of question keeps going wrong after you have read the explanation, a one-to-one teacher can look at your actual working and find the step where the choice goes astray.

Paid one-hour trial at your assigned teacher’s confirmed rate, starting from RM80.

Tuition is arranged with a parent or guardian. Send them this page on WhatsApp and they can enquire for you.

Parents: enquire here

  • 9,000+ students helped through our service
  • 9+ years helping IGCSE students