Euclidian Geometry Triangles
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Paula FanaEuclidian Geometry Triangles
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Paula FanaEUCLIDIAN GEOMETRY – TRIANGLES- Grade 10
A triangle is a three-sided polygon.
Triangles can be classified according to sides:
equilateral,
isosceles and
scalene.
Triangles can also be classified according to angles:
acute-angled,
obtuse-angled and
right-angled.
We use the notation △ABC to refer to a triangle with vertices labelled A, B and C.
Name Diagram Properties
All sides and angles are
Scalene
different.
Two sides are equal in
length. The angles opposite
Isosceles
the equal sides are also
equal.
All three sides are equal in
Equilateral length and all three angles
are equal.
Each of the three interior
Acute
angles is less than 90°.
One interior angle is greater
Obtuse
than 90°.
Right-
One interior angle is 90°.
angled
Different combinations of these properties are also possible.
For example, an obtuse isosceles triangle and a right-angled isosceles triangle are shown
below:
INTERIOR ANGLES OF A TRIANGLE
On a piece of paper draw a triangle of any size and shape.
Cut it out and label the angles 𝑎̂, 𝑏̂ and 𝑐̂ on both sides of the paper.
Draw dotted lines as shown and cut along these lines to get three pieces of paper.
Place them along your ruler as shown in the figure below.
What can we conclude?
Hint: What is the sum of angles on a straight line?
EXTERIOR ANGLES OF A TRIANGLE
On a piece of paper draw a triangle of any size and shape. On another piece of paper,
make a copy of the triangle.
Cut both out and label the angles of both triangles a^, b^ and c^ on both sides of the
paper.
Draw dotted lines on one triangle as shown and cut along the lines.
Place the second triangle and the cut out pieces as shown in the figure below.
What can we can conclude?
We can use the fact that the angles in a triangle add up to 180∘ to work out the sum of the
exterior angles in a pentagon.
CONGRUENCY
Two triangles are congruent if one fits exactly over the other.
This means that the triangles have equal corresponding angles and sides.
To determine whether two triangles are congruent, it is not necessary to check every side
and every angle.
We indicate congruency using ≡.
The following table describes the requirements for congruency:
Rule Description Diagram
If the hypotenuse and
one side of a right-
angled triangle are
equal to the
RHS or 90° HS,
hypotenuse and the
(90°,hypotenuse,
corresponding side of
side)
another right-angled
△ 𝐴𝐵𝐶 ≡△ 𝐷𝐸𝐹
triangle, then the two
triangles are
congruent.
If three sides of a
triangle are equal in
length to the
SSS
corresponding sides of
(side, side, side)
another triangle, then
the two triangles are △PQR≡△STU
congruent.
If two sides and
the included angle of a
triangle are equal to
the corresponding two
SAS or S∠S
sides
(side, angle, side)
and included angle of
another triangle, then △FGH≡△IJK
the two triangles are
congruent.
If one side and two
angles of a triangle are
equal to the
AAS or ∠∠S
corresponding one side
(angle, angle,
and two angles of
side)
another triangle, then △UVW≡△XYZ
the two triangles are
congruent.
The order of letters when labelling congruent triangles is very important.
△ABC≡△DEF
This notation indicates the following properties of the two triangles:
𝐴̂ = 𝐷
̂ , 𝐵̂ = 𝐸̂ , 𝐶̂ = 𝐹̂ , 𝐴𝐵 = 𝐷𝐸, 𝐴𝐶 = 𝐷𝐹 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵𝐶 = 𝐸𝐹.
You might see ≅ used to show that two triangles are congruent. This is the internationally
recognized symbol for congruency.
SIMILARITY
TWO TRIANGLES ARE SIMILAR if one triangle is a scaled version of the other. This
means that their corresponding angles are equal in measure and the ratio of their
corresponding sides are in proportion.
The two triangles have the same shape, but different scales.
Congruent triangles are similar triangles, but NOT all similar triangles are congruent.
We use ||| to indicate that two triangles are similar.
The following table describes the requirements for similarity:
Rule Description Diagram
If all three pairs of
AAA
corresponding angles
(angle,
of two triangles are
angle,
equal, then the
angle) 𝐴̂ = 𝐷
̂ , 𝐵̂ = 𝐸̂ , 𝐶̂ = 𝐹̂
triangles are similar.
∴△ABC|||△DEF
If all three pairs of
SSS
corresponding sides of
(side,
two triangles are in
side,
proportion, then the 𝑀𝑁 𝑀𝐿 𝑁𝐿
side) = =
triangles are similar. 𝑅𝑆 𝑅𝑇 𝑆𝑇
∴△MNL|||△RST
The order of letters for similar triangles is very important. Always label similar triangles in
corresponding order.
For example,
△ 𝑀𝑁𝐿||| △ 𝑅𝑆𝑇, is correct; but
△ 𝑀𝑁𝐿||| △ 𝑅𝑇𝑆 is incorrect.
NOTE :
You might see ∼ used to show that two triangles are similar. This is the internationally
recognized symbol for similarity.
THE THEOREM OF PYTHAGORAS
If △ABC is right-angled with 𝐵̂ = 90°, then𝑏 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑐 2 .
Converse: If 𝑏 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑐 2 , then △ABC is right-angled with 𝐵̂ = 90°.
WORKED EXAMPLE: TRIANGLES
Determine if the two triangles are congruent. Use the result to find x, 𝑦̂ and z.
STEP 1. Examine the information given for both triangles
STEP 2. Determine whether △ 𝑪𝑫𝑬 ≡△ 𝑪𝑩𝑨
In △ 𝑪𝑫𝑬:
̂ + 𝐶̂ + 𝐸̂ = 180°(𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 ∠𝑠 𝑖𝑛 △)
𝐷
90° + 35° + 𝐸̂ = 180°
∴ 𝐸̂ = 55°
In △ 𝐶𝐷𝐸 and △ 𝐶𝐵𝐴:
̂ = 𝐵𝐴𝐶
𝐷𝐸𝐶 ̂ = 55° (𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑)
̂ = 𝐶𝐵𝐴
𝐶𝐷𝐸 ̂ = 90° (𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛)
𝐷𝐸 = 𝐵𝐴 = 3 (given)
∴ ∆𝐶𝐷𝐸 ≡ ∆𝐶𝐵𝐴 (AAS)
STEP 3.
Determine the unknown angles and sides
In ∆𝐶𝐷𝐸
𝐶𝐸 2 = 𝐷𝐸 2 + 𝐶𝐷2 (Pythagoras)
52 = 32 + 𝑥 2
𝑥 2 = 16
∴𝑥=4
In ∆𝐶𝐵𝐴
𝐵̂ + 𝐴̂ + 𝑦̂ = 180° (sum of s in )
90° + 55° + 𝑦̂ = 180°
∴ 𝑦̂ = 35°
∆𝐶𝐷𝐸 ≡ ∆𝐶𝐵𝐴 (proved)
∴ 𝐶𝐸 = 𝐶𝐴
∴𝑧=5
