Lines and Angles

Point P A point is a single location,

shown by a dot.

Line B A line can be defined by two

points it passes through.
A
This is line AB or AB.

Ray A ray starts at a point and

goes in a straight line in one
direction.

Angle An angle is formed where

A two rays meet. This is angle
ABC or ∠ABC. You could
also name an angle ∠1 or
C ∠D.
B

Side of an angle Each ray forms one side of

A an angle; an angle has two
sides.

C
B

Vertex of an angle The point where the rays

A meet is called the vertex of
the angle.

C
B

Adjacent angles Two angles that share a side

A are adjacent angles. ∠ABC
is adjacent to ∠CBD in this
diagram.
C
B

D
Linear pair A linear pair of angles is
D a pair of adjacent angles
where the nonadjacent
sides form a straight line. A
linear pair is supplementary;
A B C they add up to 180°.

Straight angle 180° A straight line forms a

straight angle. The measure
of the angle is 180°, or half
C a circle. That’s why a linear
B
A pair adds up to 180°.

Supplementary angles Two angles that add

D 180° up to 180° are called
supplementary angles. A
linear pair is supplementary.
C
B
A

Two angles don’t need

120° to be a linear pair to be
supplementary. Any two
angles that add up to 180°
are supplementary angles.

You can find the measure of

a supplementary angle by
subtracting the measure of
60°
the other angle from 180°.

Right angle A right angle is an angle

that measures exactly 90°,
or a quarter of a circle. The
two rays of a right angle
90° are perpendicular. A small
square at the vertex of an
angle shows that it’s a right
angle.
Complementary angles Two angles that add
up to 90° are called
complementary angles. If
two adjacent angles form
90° a right angle, they are
complementary.

Two angles don’t need

to be adjacent to be
30° complementary. Any two
angles that add up to 90°
are complementary angles.

You can find the measure of

a complementary angle by
60° subtracting the measure of
the other angle from 90°.

Vertical angles When two lines intersect, it

D forms four angles. Angles
that are opposite of each
other are called vertical
A B C angles.

Vertical angles always have

the same measurement as
E each other. In other words,
they are congruent.

Wherever two straight lines

D cross, there are two pairs of
vertical angles.

B C For any set of vertical

A
angles, if you know the
measure of one angle, you
can find the measure of
E all angles. If ∠ABD = 120°,
then the vertical ∠EBC =
120° also. Since ∠ABD and
∠DBC are a linear pair,
∠DBC = 180° − 120° = 60°.
Since ∠DBC = 60°, then the
vertical ∠ABE = 160° also.
Parallel lines B Parallel lines are lines that
never touch. They are
A
always equally distant from
each other. Arrowheads on
D the line can be used to show
that two lines are parallel.
C You can also use the symbol
||. You could write: AB || CD.

Transversal A transversal is a line that

crosses two parallel lines. A
A B transversal creates two sets
C D of intersecting lines, each
with two sets of vertical
F angles. If you know the
E measurement of one of the
G H eight angles, you can find all
eight angles.

Corresponding angles The measures of angles A,

B, C, and D are the same as
A B E, F, G, and H, respectively.
C D Angles A and E, B and F,
C and G, and D and H are
F corresponding angles.
E Corresponding angles are
G H congruent; they have the
same measure.

Alternate interior angles Alternate interior angles

are the angles between
A B the parallel lines, and
C D on opposite sides of the
transversal. Alternate
F interior angles are
E congruent, just like vertical
G H angles are congruent.

Same-side interior angles Same-side interior angles

are the angles between the
A B parallel lines, and on the
C D same side of the transversal.
Same-side interior angles
F are supplementary. They
E
add up to 180°, just like
G H linear pairs.