Copy of Triangle Investigation - Scale factor and Area
Objective: Determine the effect on the area of a triangle when the scale factor is changed.
Procedure:
1.) Drag the vertices of the triangle ABC to change the shape of the triangle. Use the slider to change the scale factor. Make a table of values showing the scale factor and the corresponding areas of Triangle ABC and Triangle A'B'C'.
2.) Use the results to answer the questions listed below.
Questions:
1.) If the scale factor is 2, what is the effect on the area of the resulting triangle?
2.) If the scale factor is 3, what is the effect on the area of the resulting triangle
4.) If the scale factor is 1/2, what is the effect on the area of the resulting triangle?
5.) If the scale factor is n, then the area of the resulting triangle will be equal to the area of the original triangle times _________.
6.) How are both the base and height of the triangle affected by a change in the scale factor?
7.) Write a conjecture explaining how the area of a triangle is affected by a change in the scale factor.
8.) Can you show algebraically that your conjecture is true? (Area of a triangle = 0.5BH)