Question 1: Complete the statements about circles, squares, equilateral triangles, and similar polygons.
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By Ankit Gupta
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Updated on 15 Jul 2026, 16:29 IST
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Maths Chapter 6 Triangles help students understand one of the most important parts of geometry in a clear and organised way. The chapter begins with the idea of similar figures and explains how two shapes can have the same form even when their sizes are different. Students learn that similar polygons have equal corresponding angles and proportional corresponding sides. They also study examples involving circles, squares, equilateral triangles, and other figures to understand the meaning of similarity in a practical way.
A major part of the chapter is the Basic Proportionality Theorem, also called BPT, and its converse. These ideas show how a line drawn parallel to one side of a triangle divides the other two sides in the same ratio. The exercises teach students how to find unknown lengths, check whether two lines are parallel, and prove results about midpoints and proportional sides. Step-by-step solutions make it easier to understand why each ratio is used and how each conclusion is reached.
The chapter also explains the main criteria used to prove that two triangles are similar. These include AA or AAA similarity, SSS similarity, and SAS similarity. Students must identify equal angles, compare corresponding sides, and write the names of triangles in the correct order. This is important because the correct order shows which sides and angles match. The solutions guide students through each proof in a simple sequence, helping them avoid common mistakes.
Another important idea covered in this chapter is the relation between the areas of similar triangles. When two triangles are similar, the ratio of their areas is equal to the square of the ratio of their corresponding sides. Students also use similarity to solve questions based on altitudes, medians, trapeziums, parallel lines, and geometric constructions. These questions build logical thinking and improve proof-writing skills.
Download the Class 10 Maths Chapter 6 Triangles NCERT Solutions PDF to study all exercises in an easy and clear way. The PDF includes step-by-step answers, important concepts, and simple explanations to help students understand similarity, proportionality, and triangle-based questions. It is useful for homework, revision, exam preparation, and checking answers anytime.
These questions check the meaning of similarity and the conditions needed for two polygons to be similar.
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Question 1: Complete the statements about circles, squares, equilateral triangles, and similar polygons.
Solution:
| Part | Correct word | Reason |
| (i) | Similar | Every circle has the same shape; radii may differ. |
| (ii) | Similar | All angles are 90°, and corresponding sides have one common scale factor. |
| (iii) | Equilateral | Every equilateral triangle has three 60° angles. |
| (iv-a) | Equal | Corresponding angles of similar polygons must be equal. |
| (iv-b) | Proportional | Corresponding sides must be in the same ratio. |
Answers: (i) similar, (ii) similar, (iii) equilateral, (iv) equal and proportional.
Question 2: Give two examples each of pairs of similar figures and pairs of non-similar figures.

Solution:
Examples of similar figures:

JEE

NEET

Foundation JEE

Foundation NEET

CBSE
Examples of non-similar figures:
Similarity depends on shape, not merely on having the same number of sides. A square and a rectangle both have four sides, but their side ratios generally differ.
Question 3: One quadrilateral is a slanting rhombus with side 1.5 cm; the other is a square with side 3 cm. Decide whether they are similar.
Solution:

The ratio of every side of the rhombus to the corresponding side of the square is
1.5/3 = 1/2.
Thus, corresponding sides are proportional. However, the square has four right angles, whereas the slanting rhombus does not have four right angles. Therefore, corresponding angles are not equal.
The quadrilaterals are not similar.
Question 1: In two triangles, DE is parallel to BC. In part (i), AD = 1.5 cm, DB = 3 cm, AE = 1 cm. Find EC. In part (ii), DB = 7.2 cm, AE = 1.8 cm, EC = 5.4 cm. Find AD.
Solution:
Because DE is parallel to BC, BPT gives
AD/DB = AE/EC.
(i) Finding EC
1.5/3 = 1/EC. After simplifying, 1/2 = 1/EC. Therefore, EC = 2 cm.
(ii) Finding AD
AD/7.2 = 1.8/5.4 = 1/3. Therefore, AD = 7.2/3 = 2.4 cm.
(i) EC = 2 cm; (ii) AD = 2.4 cm.
Question 2: Points E and F lie on PQ and PR of triangle PQR. Test in each numerical case whether EF is parallel to QR.
Solution:
By the converse of BPT, EF is parallel to QR exactly when PE/EQ = PF/FR.
| Case | Ratio on PQ | Ratio on PR | Conclusion |
| (i) | 3.9/3 = 1.3 | 3.6/2.4 = 1.5 | Not equal; EF is not parallel to QR. |
| (ii) | 4/4.5 = 8/9 | 8/9 | Equal; EF is parallel to QR. |
| (iii) | EQ = 1.28 - 0.18 = 1.10, so PE/EQ = 0.18/1.10 | FR = 2.56 - 0.36 = 2.20, so PF/FR = 0.36/2.20 | Both ratios equal 9/55; hence EF is parallel to QR. |
(i) No, (ii) Yes, (iii) Yes.
Question 3: In the NCERT figure, LM is parallel to CB and LN is parallel to CD. Prove that AM/AB = AN/AD.
Solution:
Here M lies on AB, L lies on AC, and N lies on AD.
Question 4: In triangle ABC, D lies on AB, while F and E lie on BC. Given DE is parallel to AC and DF is parallel to AE, prove BF/FE = BE/EC.
Solution:
Question 5: In the given configuration, D lies on PO, E on PQ, and F on PR. If DE is parallel to OQ and DF is parallel to OR, prove EF is parallel to QR.
Solution:
Question 6: Points A,B,C lie on OP,OQ,OR, respectively. Given AB is parallel to PQ and AC is parallel to PR, prove BC is parallel to QR.
Solution:
Question 7: Using BPT, prove that a line through the midpoint of one side of a triangle, parallel to another side, bisects the third side.
Solution:
In triangle ABC, let D be the midpoint of AB. Through D, draw DE is parallel to BC, meeting AC at E.
Hence E is the midpoint of AC; the parallel line bisects the third side.
Question 8: Using the converse of BPT, prove that the segment joining the midpoints of two sides of a triangle is parallel to the third side.
Solution:
In triangle ABC, let D and E be the midpoints of AB and AC, respectively.
AD = DB, AE = EC.
Therefore,
AD/DB = 1 = AE/EC.
The two sides are divided in the same ratio. By the converse of BPT,
DE is parallel to BC.
Question 9: In trapezium ABCD, AB is parallel to DC, and diagonals AC and BD meet at O. Prove AO/BO = CO/DO.
Solution:
Consider triangle AOB and triangle COD.
Question 10: The diagonals of quadrilateral ABCD meet at O and satisfy AO/BO = CO/DO. Prove that ABCD is a trapezium.
Solution:
Given
AO/BO = CO/DO.
Cross-multiplying gives
AO × DO = BO × CO. Therefore, AO/CO = BO/DO. (1)
Also, angle AOB = angle COD, being vertically opposite. Thus, in triangle AOB and triangle COD, the two sides including the equal angle are proportional. Therefore, triangle AOB is similar to triangle COD by SAS similarity.
Hence angle ABO = angle CDO. These are alternate interior angles made by transversal BD, so AB is parallel to CD.
Thus ABCD has one pair of opposite sides parallel and is a trapezium.
Apply AA/AAA, SSS, or SAS carefully. Always write the vertices in the correct corresponding order.
Question 1: For each of the six pairs in the NCERT figure, decide whether the triangles are similar. State the criterion and the correct symbolic order.
Solution:
| Pair | Comparison | Result |
| (i) | Both triangles have angles 60°,80°,40°. | triangle ABC is similar to triangle PQR, by AAA. |
| (ii) | AB/RQ = 2/4 = frac12, BC/QP = 2.5/5 = frac12, AC/RP = 3/6 = frac12. | triangle ABC is similar to triangle QRP, by SSS. |
| (iii) | The side ratios 2.7:4, 3:6, and 2:5 are not equal. | Not similar. |
| (iv) | MN/QP = 2.5/5 = frac12, ML/QR = 5/10 = frac12, and the included angles are 70°. | triangle MNL is similar to triangle QPR, by SAS. |
| (v) | Two side ratios may appear equal, but the given equal angle is not the included angle between those two sides. This is an SSA situation, which is not a similarity criterion. | Not similar from the given data. |
| (vi) | angle D = angle P = 70°, angle E = angle Q = 80°, angle F = angle R = 30°. | triangle DEF is similar to triangle PQR, by AAA. |
Question 2: Given triangle ODC is similar to triangle OBA, angle BOC = 125°, and angle CDO = 70°, find angle DOC, angle DCO, and angle OAB.
Solution:
angle DOC = 55°, angle DCO = 55°, and angle OAB = 55°.
Question 3: In trapezium ABCD, AB is parallel to DC. Diagonals AC and BD meet at O. Prove OA/OC = OB/OD.
Solution:
Compare triangle AOB and triangle COD.
Question 4: In the NCERT figure, P lies on QT, S lies on QR, QR/QS = QT/PR, and the marked angles angle 1 and angle 2 are equal. Prove triangle PQS is similar to triangle TQR.
Solution:
Question 5: S and T lie on PR and QR of triangle PQR. If angle P = angle RTS, prove triangle RPQ is similar to triangle RTS.
Solution:
Question 6: In the figure, D lies on AB, E lies on AC, and triangle ABE is congruent to triangle ACD. Prove triangle ADE is similar to triangle ABC.
Solution:
From triangle ABE is congruent to triangle ACD, corresponding sides give
AB = AC, AE = AD.
Therefore,
AD/AB = AE/AC.
Also, angle DAE = angle BAC, because AD lies along AB and AE lies along AC. Thus, two pairs of sides including an equal angle are proportional.
triangle ADE is similar to triangle ABC, by SAS similarity.
Question 7: Altitudes AD and CE of triangle ABC meet at P. Prove the four stated pairs of triangles are similar.
Solution:
Since AD is perpendicular to BC and CE is perpendicular to AB, every angle formed at D by AD and BC, and every angle formed at E by CE and AB, is 90°.
(i) triangle AEP is similar to triangle CDP
(ii) triangle ABD is similar to triangle CBE
(iii) triangle AEP is similar to triangle ADB
(iv) triangle PDC is similar to triangle BEC
Question 8: ABCD is a parallelogram. Point E lies on AD produced, and line BE meets CD at F. Prove triangle ABE is similar to triangle CFB.
Solution:
In a parallelogram, AB is parallel to CD and AD is parallel to BC.
Question 9: triangle ABC and triangle AMP are right-angled at B and M, respectively, with A,B,P collinear and A,M,C collinear. Prove (i) the triangles are similar and (ii) CA/PA = BC/MP.
Solution:
(i) Similarity
(ii) Required ratio
The correspondence is A corresponds to A, B corresponds to M, C corresponds to P. Therefore,
CA/PA = BC/MP.
Question 10: CD and GH bisect angle ACB and angle EGF, respectively. Given triangle ABC is similar to triangle FEG, prove: (i) CD/GH = AC/FG; (ii) triangle DCB is similar to triangle HGE; (iii) triangle DCA is similar to triangle HGF.
Solution:
From triangle ABC is similar to triangle FEG, the correspondence is A corresponds to F, B corresponds to E, C corresponds to G. Thus,
angle A = angle F, angle B = angle E, angle C = angle G.
Since CD and GH are angle bisectors,
angle ACD = angle DCB = tfrac12angle C, angle FGH = angle HGE = tfrac12angle G.
Therefore, angle ACD = angle FGH and angle DCB = angle HGE.
(iii) First prove triangle DCA is similar to triangle HGF
(i) Use corresponding sides from the above similarity
CD/GH = AC/FG.
(ii) Prove triangle DCB is similar to triangle HGE
Question 11: In isosceles triangle ABC, AB = AC. Point E lies on CB produced, AD is perpendicular to BC, and EF is perpendicular to AC. Prove triangle ABD is similar to triangle ECF.
Solution:
Question 12: In triangle ABC and triangle PQR, AD and PM are medians. Given AB/PQ = BC/QR = AD/PM, prove triangle ABC is similar to triangle PQR.
Solution:
Let the common ratio be k. Since AD and PM are medians, D and M are midpoints:
BD = BC/2, QM = QR/2.
Therefore,
BD/QM = BC/2/QR/2 = BC/QR = k.
We already have AB/PQ = k and AD/PM = k. Hence the three sides of triangle ABD are proportional to the three sides of triangle PQM:
triangle ABD is similar to triangle PQM (SSS).
Thus angle ABD = angle PQM. Since BD lies on BC and QM lies on QR, angle ABC = angle PQR.
Also, AB/PQ = BC/QR. The sides including the equal angle are proportional, so
triangle ABC is similar to triangle PQR, by SAS similarity.
Question 13: Point D lies on BC of triangle ABC, and angle ADC = angle BAC. Prove CA² = CB × CD.
Solution:
Compare triangle ADC and triangle BAC.
Question 14: In two triangles, sides AB,AC and median AD are respectively proportional to PQ,PR and median PM. Prove triangle ABC is similar to triangle PQR.
Solution:
Let
AB/PQ = AC/PR = AD/PM = k.
Since D and M are midpoints of BC and QR, BD = BC/2 and QM = QR/2.
Apply Apollonius' theorem to triangle ABC and triangle PQR:
AB² + AC² = 2(AD² + BD²), (1) PQ² + PR² = 2(PM² + QM²). (2)
Multiply (2) by k²:
k²PQ² + k²PR² = 2(k²PM² + k²QM²).
Using AB = kPQ, AC = kPR, and AD = kPM,
AB² + AC² = 2(AD² + k²QM²). (3)
Comparing (1) and (3),
BD² = k²QM². Therefore, BD = kQM.
Therefore,
BC = 2BD = 2kQM = kQR. Therefore, BC/QR = k.
Thus,
AB/PQ = AC/PR = BC/QR.
Hence triangle ABC is similar to triangle PQR, by SSS similarity.
Question 15: A 6 m pole casts a 4 m shadow. At the same time, a tower casts a 28 m shadow. Find the tower's height.
Solution:
The pole and tower are vertical, and the sunlight makes the same angle with the ground at the same time. Therefore, the two right-angled triangles formed by height and shadow are similar.
Let the tower's height be h metres.
h/28 = 6/4.
h = 28 × 6/4 = 7 × 6 = 42.
The height of the tower is 42 m.
Question 16: AD and PM are medians of similar triangles triangle ABC and triangle PQR, respectively. Prove AB/PQ = AD/PM.
Solution:
Since triangle ABC is similar to triangle PQR,
AB/PQ = BC/QR. (1)
As AD and PM are medians, BD = BC/2 and QM = QR/2. Hence,
BD/QM = BC/2/QR/2 = BC/QR = AB/PQ. (2)
Also, corresponding angles of similar triangles are equal: angle ABC = angle PQR. Since D lies on BC and M lies on QR,
angle ABD = angle PQM.
In triangle ABD and triangle PQM, the two sides around the equal included angle are proportional by (2). Therefore, triangle ABD is similar to triangle PQM by SAS similarity.
Thus, corresponding sides give
AB/PQ = AD/PM.
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Chapter 6 covers similar figures, similar triangles, the Basic Proportionality Theorem, the converse of BPT, similarity criteria, and the areas of similar triangles. It also includes questions based on parallel lines, ratios, medians, altitudes, and geometric proofs.
The solutions explain every question in a step-by-step manner. They help students understand which theorem or similarity rule should be used and how to write a complete mathematical proof. Students can also use them to check their answers and correct mistakes.
The main similarity criteria are AA or AAA, SSS, and SAS. AA is used when two corresponding angles are equal. SSS is used when corresponding sides are proportional. SAS is used when two pairs of sides are proportional and their included angles are equal.
The Basic Proportionality Theorem states that when a line is drawn parallel to one side of a triangle and meets the other two sides, it divides those two sides in the same ratio. This theorem is commonly called BPT or Thales’ theorem.
Students should first understand the theorems and similarity rules. They should practise NCERT examples and exercise questions regularly, draw diagrams carefully, and write the corresponding vertices in the correct order. Revising important proofs and solving questions without looking at the answers can improve confidence and accuracy.