Answer:
Let's denote the area of the smaller triangle as A₁ and the area of the larger triangle as A₂.
Since the two triangles are similar, the ratio of their areas is equal to the square of the ratio of their corresponding sides. Thus, we have:
(A₁/A₂) = (2/5)^2
Cross-multiplying, we get:
5^2 * A₁ = 2^2 * A₂
25 * A₁ = 4 * 25
25 * A₁ = 100
Dividing both sides of the equation by 25, we find:
A₁ = 100 / 25
A₁ = 4 square meters
Therefore, the area of the smaller triangle is 4 square meters.
Explanation: