Can someone explain how to work the perfect square method? step by step !

for the friend request.

when a figure, such as triangle (xyz) is reflected over the line y = x to create x'y'z' the x-coordinates and y-coordinates of the original image (pre-image) will be reversed for the image. (e.g., (x, y) > (y, x)) this means that the pre-image position of the x- and y-coordinates switch places which in turn provides a mirror like image of the original xyz.  

i notice that when i draw a line segment from x to x', that the points are parallel from each other -- they are exactly across from each other and do not intersect with any other points.  

yes, think i would see the same characteristic if you drew the line segment connecting y with the reflecting line and then y' with the reflecting line because of the essence of reflections. because it is a mirror image, each point was effected the same way which leads me to conclude that they same would apply to y and y'.

geometry: triangles

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call the larger triangle abc

then the smaller triangle cde is similar to abc (all angles are equal, aaa).  

ab is the side that is 36, and we wish to find de, the side corresponding to ab

area_cde = area_abc - area_cde --> area_abc / area_cde = 2

let x=length of de

ratio of areas = (ratio of sides)^2

+2+=+%2836%2fx%29%5e2+

+2+=+1296%2fx%5e2+

++x%5e2+=+1296%2f2+=+648+

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