Missing sides of similar triangles, and shadow problems
Grade 8 Math Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer, or write your answer on the line.
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Table (pole | tree, in m)
Height 2 | ?, with the arrow × 4 from the pole to the tree. Both stand straight up and the sun makes the same angle for both (sketch, not to scale).
Ari stands a 2 m pole in the sun. The tree's shadow is 4 times as long as the pole's shadow. How many meters tall is the tree?
Table (stick | tower, in m)
Height 1.5 | ?, with the arrow × 8 from the stick to the tower. Both stand straight up and the sun makes the same angle for both (sketch, not to scale).
Bo stands a 1.5 m stick in the sun. The tower's shadow is 8 times as long as the stick's shadow. How many meters tall is the tower?
Kira draws a small triangle FQS inside a big triangle FGH. They share corner F. Which side of FGH matches side FQ?
- side QG
- side FG
- side GH
Luz draws a small triangle CDU inside a big triangle CVW. They share corner C. Which side of CVW matches side CU?
Triangle CDU sits inside triangle CVW and shares corner C. DU is parallel to VW, so the two triangles are similar (sketch, not to scale). The sides are not measured. Triangle CDU sits inside triangle CVW and shares corner C. DU is parallel to VW, so the two triangles are similar (sketch, not to scale). The sides are not measured. C D U V W DU parallel to VW the two triangles are similar Not to scale. - side VW
- side CW
- side UW
Milo draws a small triangle SUV inside a big triangle SYW. They share corner S. Which side of SYW matches side UV?
Triangle SUV sits inside triangle SYW and shares corner S. UV is parallel to YW, so the two triangles are similar (sketch, not to scale). The sides are not measured. Triangle SUV sits inside triangle SYW and shares corner S. UV is parallel to YW, so the two triangles are similar (sketch, not to scale). The sides are not measured. S Y W U V Not to scale. - side YW
- side SY
- side SW
Noah draws a small triangle GQD inside a big triangle GHF. They share corner G. Which side of GHF matches side QD?
Triangle GQD sits inside triangle GHF and shares corner G. QD is parallel to HF, so the two triangles are similar (sketch, not to scale). The sides are not measured. Triangle GQD sits inside triangle GHF and shares corner G. QD is parallel to HF, so the two triangles are similar (sketch, not to scale). The sides are not measured. G Q D H F Not to scale. - side GH
- side HF
- side GF
Pia draws a small triangle WYD inside a big triangle WCV. They share corner W. Which side of WCV matches side WY?
Triangle WYD sits inside triangle WCV and shares corner W. YD is parallel to CV, so the two triangles are similar (sketch, not to scale). The sides are not measured. Triangle WYD sits inside triangle WCV and shares corner W. YD is parallel to CV, so the two triangles are similar (sketch, not to scale). The sides are not measured. W C V Y D Triangle WYD sits inside triangle WCV and shares corner W. The sides are not measured. Not to scale. - side WC
- side CV
- side YC
Ren draws a small triangle CDU inside a big triangle CVW. The scale factor from the small triangle to the big one is 2. How many cm long is side CV?
Triangle CDU sits inside triangle CVW and shares corner C. DU is parallel to VW, so the two triangles are similar (sketch, not to scale). CD = 7 cm. Table (small | big, cm): row CD 7 | CV ?, with the arrow × 2. Triangle CDU sits inside triangle CVW and shares corner C. DU is parallel to VW, so the two triangles are similar (sketch, not to scale). CD = 7 cm. Table (small | big, cm): row CD 7 | CV ?, with the arrow × 2. Sketch, not to scale 7 cm C D U V W Not to scale. cm small big CD 7 CV ? times 2 Tala draws a small triangle SUV inside a big triangle SYW. The scale factor from the small triangle to the big one is 3. How many cm long is side SY?
Triangle SUV sits inside triangle SYW and shares corner S. UV is parallel to YW, so the two triangles are similar (sketch, not to scale). SU = 6 cm. Table (small | big, cm): row SU 6 | SY ?, with the arrow × 3. Triangle SUV sits inside triangle SYW and shares corner S. UV is parallel to YW, so the two triangles are similar (sketch, not to scale). SU = 6 cm. Table (small | big, cm): row SU 6 | SY ?, with the arrow × 3. sketch, not to scale 6 cm S U V Y W Not to scale. small big, cm SU 6 SY ? times 3 Zee draws a small triangle GQD inside a big triangle GHF. The scale factor from the small triangle to the big one is 5. How many cm long is side GH?
Triangle GQD sits inside triangle GHF and shares corner G. QD is parallel to HF, so the two triangles are similar (sketch, not to scale). GQ = 4 cm. Table (small | big, cm): row GQ 4 | GH ?, with the arrow × 5. Triangle GQD sits inside triangle GHF and shares corner G. QD is parallel to HF, so the two triangles are similar (sketch, not to scale). GQ = 4 cm. Table (small | big, cm): row GQ 4 | GH ?, with the arrow × 5. Sketch, not to scale 4 cm G Q D H F Not to scale. Table small big cm GQ 4 GH ? times 5