Q.Show that the relation R defined in the set A of all triangles as is similar to , is equivalence relation. Consider three right angle triangles with sides , with sides and with sides . Which triangles among and are related?
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →The relation “is similar to” on the set of all triangles is an equivalence relation because it is reflexive, symmetric, and transitive. Among the given right triangles, (3‑4‑5) and (6‑8‑10) are similar (their sides are in the same ratio), so they are related; (5‑12‑13) is not similar to either.
Why similarity is an equivalence relation
An equivalence relation is one that behaves exactly like “equals” for a certain property. For triangles, similarity means having the same shape — corresponding angles equal and sides proportional. This notion naturally satisfies three conditions:
- Reflexive: Every triangle is similar to itself.
- Symmetric: If is similar to , then is similar to .
- Transitive: If is similar to and is similar to , then is similar to .
Because these three hold for any triangles, the relation on the set of all triangles is an equivalence relation. No special calculation is needed for the general proof — it follows directly from the definition of similarity.
A common mistake is to confuse “similar” with “congruent”. Congruence requires equal side lengths; similarity only requires proportional sides. The 3‑4‑5 and 6‑8‑10 triangles are not congruent, but they are similar.
Checking the three given triangles
We have three right triangles:
- : sides
- : sides
- : sides
Two triangles are related (i.e., similar) if their corresponding sides are in the same ratio. For right triangles, we can also check that the ratios of the two legs and the hypotenuse match.
Step 1: Compare and
Arrange the sides of in increasing order: .
For : .
Check the ratio of smallest to smallest:
Middle to middle:
Largest to largest:
All three ratios are equal to . Hence and are similar. …
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