Prentice Hall Geometry

The two similar prisms shown here suggest two important relationships for similar solids.

The ratio of the side lengths is 1 : 2.

The ratio of the surface areas is 22 : 88, or 1 : 4.

The ratio of the volumes is 6 : 48, or 1 : 8.

The ratio of the surface areas is the square of the scale factor. The ratio of the volumes is the cube of the scale factor. These two facts apply to all similar solids.

A rectangular prism has height 3 meters and rectangular base with length 2 meters and width 1 meter.

cap s . cap a . equals . 22 , m squared
v equals . 6 , m cubed

A rectangular prism has height 6 meters and rectangular base with length 4 meters and width 2 meters.

cap s . cap a . equals . 88 , m squared
v equals . 48 , m cubed


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Table of Contents

Prentice Hall Geometry Chapter 1 Tools of Geometry Chapter 2 Reasoning and Proof Chapter 3 Parallel and Perpendicular Lines Chapter 4 Congruent Triangles Chapter 5 Relationships Within Triangles Chapter 6 Polygons and Quadrilaterals Chapter 7 Similarity Chapter 8 Right Triangles and Trigonometry Chapter 9 Transformations Chapter 10 Area Chapter 11 Surface Area and Volume Chapter 12 Circles Skills Handbook Reference Visual Glossary Selected Answers Index Acknowledgments