1.

Symbols You MUST Know

≅ = Congruent (same size and shape)

~ = Similar (same shape, different size)

∠ = Angle

△ = Triangle

⊥ = Perpendicular (90°)

∥ = Parallel

≈ = Approximately equal

° = Degrees

2. Basic Geometry Vocabulary

Point = No size

Line = Extends forever in both directions

Ray = One endpoint

Segment = Two endpoints

Plane = Flat surface

Collinear = Points on the same line

Coplanar = Points on the same plane

Midpoint = Divides a segment into two equal parts

Bisector = Divides an angle or segment into two equal parts

3. Angle Relationships
Complementary Angles

Add to 90°

Supplementary Angles

Add to 180°

Vertical Angles

Always congruent

Linear Pair

Always supplementary

Adjacent Angles

Share a side and a vertex

4. Parallel Lines & Transversals

If two parallel lines are cut by a transversal:

Alternate Interior Angles = Congruent

Alternate Exterior Angles = Congruent

Corresponding Angles = Congruent

Vertical Angles = Congruent

Same Side Interior Angles = Supplementary

Same Side Exterior Angles = Supplementary

Easy Memory:

CAVA

Corresponding
Alternate Interior

Vertical

Alternate Exterior

These are equal.

Everything else adds to 180°.

5. Triangle Facts
Interior angles always add to 180°.

Exterior angle = Sum of the two remote interior angles.

Longest side is opposite the largest angle.

Shortest side is opposite the smallest angle.

6. Triangle Congruence
CPCTC

Corresponding Parts of Congruent Triangles are Congruent.

Ways to prove triangles congruent:

SSS

Three sides

SAS

Two sides and the included angle

ASA

Two angles and the included side

AAS

Two angles and a non-included side

HL

Right triangles only

Hypotenuse and one leg

Never use:

AAA

SSA

These DO NOT prove congruence.

7. Similar Triangles
Corresponding angles are congruent.

Corresponding sides are proportional.

Scale Factor = New ÷ Original

Perimeter changes by the scale factor.

Area changes by (Scale Factor)².

Volume changes by (Scale Factor)³.

Example:

Scale factor = 3

Perimeter × 3

Area × 9

Volume × 27
8. Pythagorean Theorem
Formula:

a² + b² = c²

Only works on RIGHT triangles.

Hypotenuse = Side opposite the 90° angle.

Special Right Triangles

45-45-90

Sides:

√2

30-60-90

Sides:

√3

9. Distance Formula
Distance = √[(x₂ - x₁)² + (y₂ - y₁)²]

Shortcuts

Horizontal distance

Subtract x-values

Vertical distance
Subtract y-values

10. Midpoint Formula

Midpoint = ((x₁ + x₂) ÷ 2, (y₁ + y₂) ÷ 2)

Shortcut:

Average the x-values.

Average the y-values.

11. Slope
Slope = Rise ÷ Run

Slope Formula

(y₂ - y₁) ÷ (x₂ - x₁)

Positive slope ↗

Negative slope ↘

Zero slope = Horizontal

Undefined slope = Vertical

Parallel lines

Same slope

Perpendicular lines

Negative reciprocal slopes

12. Circle Equations
Standard Form

(x - h)² + (y - k)² = r²

Center = (h, k)

Radius = √(number)

Example

(x - 4)² + (y + 3)² = 36

Center = (4, -3)

Radius = 6

13. Polygon Interior Angles

Interior Angle Sum

(number of sides - 2) × 180°

One Interior Angle of a Regular Polygon

[(number of sides - 2) × 180°] ÷ number of sides

Exterior Angles

Always add to 360°.

14. Area Formulas

Rectangle

Area = length × width

Square
Area = side²

Triangle

Area = (1/2) × base × height

Parallelogram

Area = base × height

Trapezoid

Area = ((Base1 + Base2) × Height) ÷ 2

Circle

Area = π × radius²

Circumference

Circumference = 2 × π × radius

OR

Circumference = π × diameter

15. Volume Formulas

Cube

Volume = side³

Rectangular Prism

Volume = length × width × height

Cylinder

Volume = π × radius² × height

Cone

Volume = (1/3) × π × radius² × height

Sphere

Volume = (4/3) × π × radius³

16. Surface Area Formulas

Cube

Surface Area = 6 × side²

Cylinder

Surface Area = 2 × π × radius² + 2 × π × radius × height

Cone

Surface Area = π × radius × (radius + slant height)

Sphere

Surface Area = 4 × π × radius²

17. Coordinate Geometry

Same x-value

Vertical line

Same y-value

Horizontal line

Equal slopes

Parallel

Negative reciprocal slopes

Perpendicular
Distance

Use the distance formula.

Midpoint

Average the coordinates.

18. Proof Keywords

Given

Information already provided.

Definition

Meaning of a mathematical term.

Reflexive Property

A=A

Transitive Property

If A = B and B = C,

then A = C.

Substitution

Replace equal values.

CPCTC

Only use AFTER proving triangles congruent.

19. Biggest Mistakes Students Make

• Forgetting to square the scale factor for area.
• Forgetting to cube the scale factor for volume.

• Using the Pythagorean Theorem on non-right triangles.

• Mixing up similar and congruent figures.

• Thinking SSA proves congruence (it doesn't).

• Forgetting the hypotenuse is opposite the 90° angle.

• Forgetting to square the radius in circle equations.

• Using the midpoint formula when the problem asks for distance.

20. Last-Minute Test Memory List

Triangle angles = 180°

Straight line = 180°

Circle = 360°

Complementary = 90°

Supplementary = 180°

Vertical angles = Congruent

Corresponding angles = Congruent

Alternate interior angles = Congruent

Same-side interior angles = Supplementary

Parallel lines = Same slope

Perpendicular lines = Negative reciprocal slopes

Similar figures = Proportional sides

Congruent figures = Equal sides and equal angles

Area scale factor = k²

Volume scale factor = k³

CPCTC comes AFTER proving triangles congruent.

21. Transformations
Translation = Slide

Reflection = Flip

Rotation = Turn

Dilation = Resize

Rigid Transformations

●​ Translation
●​ Reflection
●​ Rotation

These keep the figure congruent.

Non-Rigid Transformation

●​ Dilation

Changes size.

22. Reflection Rules

Across x-axis

(x, y) → (x, -y)

Across y-axis

(x, y) → (-x, y)

Across y = x

(x, y) → (y, x)
Across y = -x

(x, y) → (-y, -x)

23. Rotation Rules

90° Counterclockwise

(x, y) → (-y, x)

180°

(x, y) → (-x, -y)

270° Counterclockwise

(x, y) → (y, -x)

24. Dilation Rules

Multiply every coordinate by the scale factor.

Example

Scale factor = 3

(2, 4)

(6, 12)

Scale factor > 1

Gets larger

Scale factor < 1

Gets smaller
25. Types of Triangles
By Sides

Equilateral

3 equal sides

Isosceles

2 equal sides

Scalene

No equal sides

By Angles

Acute

All angles less than 90°

Right

One 90° angle

Obtuse

One angle greater than 90°

26. Types of Quadrilaterals

Square

●​ 4 equal sides
●​ 4 right angles

Rectangle

●​ Opposite sides equal

 ●​ 4 right angles

Rhombus

●​ 4 equal sides

Parallelogram

●​ Opposite sides parallel

●​ Opposite angles congruent

Trapezoid

●​ One pair of parallel sides

Kite

●​ Two pairs of adjacent equal sides

27. Circle Vocabulary

Radius

Center → Edge

Diameter

Edge → Center → Edge

Diameter = 2 × Radius

Chord

Connects two points on the circle

Tangent

Touches circle once

Secant

Cuts through circle

Arc
Part of a circle

Central Angle

Vertex at the center

28. Probability (Sometimes Included)

Probability

Favorable Outcomes ÷ Total Outcomes

Impossible

Certain

29. Triangle Inequality Theorem

The sum of any two sides MUST be greater than the third side.

Example

3, 4, 8

Not possible

Because

3+4=7

7<8
30. Isosceles Triangle Theorem
If two sides are congruent

The opposite angles are congruent.

Also works backward.

31. Converse Statements

If

It rains

The ground gets wet.

Converse

If the ground gets wet

It rained.

A converse is NOT automatically true.

32. Conditional Statements

If P

Then Q

Inverse

If not P
Then not Q

Converse

If Q

Then P

Contrapositive

If not Q

Then not P

Only the original statement and the contrapositive always have the same truth value.

33. Coordinate Geometry Shortcuts

Horizontal Line

y = constant

Vertical Line

x = constant

Positive Slope

Rises left to right

Negative Slope

Falls left to right

34. Common Proof Reasons

Given

Definition
Reflexive Property

Symmetric Property

Transitive Property

Substitution

Vertical Angles

Linear Pair

Alternate Interior Angles

Corresponding Angles

CPCTC

Definition of Midpoint

Definition of Bisector

Segment Addition Postulate

Angle Addition Postulate

35. Segment Addition

If B is between A and C

AB + BC = AC

36. Angle Addition

If D is inside ∠ABC

∠ABD + ∠DBC = ∠ABC

37. Engineering Trick
Always ask yourself:

1.​ Is this a right triangle?

2.​ Are these lines parallel?
3.​ Are these triangles congruent?
4.​ Are these triangles similar?
5.​ Am I finding area, perimeter, surface area, or volume?
6.​ Do I need the distance, midpoint, or slope formula?

Those six questions solve a huge percentage of geometry problems.

The One Formula List to Memorize

If you can memorize these, you'll save a lot of time on tests:

●​ a² + b² = c²
●​ Distance = √[(x₂ − x₁)² + (y₂ − y₁)²]
●​ Midpoint = ((x₁ + x₂)/2, (y₁ + y₂)/2)
●​ Slope = (y₂ − y₁)/(x₂ − x₁)
●​ Circle: (x − h)² + (y − k)² = r²
●​ Area of a triangle = (1/2)bh
●​ Area of a circle = πr²
●​ Circumference = 2πr
●​ Volume of a prism = lwh
●​ Volume of a cylinder = πr²h
●​ Volume of a cone = (1/3)πr²h
●​ Volume of a sphere = (4/3)πr³
●​ Surface area of a sphere = 4πr²
●​ Interior angle sum = (n − 2) × 180°

38. Logic Statements (Conditionals)

Conditional Statement (Original)
Form:

If P, then Q
Example:

If a figure is a square, then it has four sides.

P = A figure is a square.

Q = It has four sides.

Converse
Swap the hypothesis and conclusion.

If Q, then P

Example:

If a figure has four sides, then it is a square.

❌ Not always true (it could be a rectangle, trapezoid, etc.)

Inverse
Negate both parts.

If NOT P, then NOT Q

Example:

If a figure is not a square, then it does not have four sides.

❌ False (rectangles have four sides too.)

Contrapositive
Swap AND negate.

If NOT Q, then NOT P

Example:
If a figure does not have four sides, then it is not a square.

✅ Always has the same truth value as the original conditional.

Quick Memory Trick

Original

If P → Q

Converse

Q→P

Inverse

Not P → Not Q

Contrapositive

Not Q → Not P

Think:

●​ Converse = Switch
●​ Inverse = Negate
●​ Contrapositive = Switch + Negate

Biconditional Statement
Uses the words:

If and only if

or

iff

Form:
P if and only if Q

Written as:

P↔Q

Example:

A figure is a square if and only if it has four equal sides and four right angles.

A biconditional is true only if both the conditional and the converse are true.

Truth Table
Statement Form

Conditional If P, then Q (P → Q)

Converse If Q, then P (Q → P)

Inverse If not P, then not Q (~P → ~Q)

Contrapositive If not Q, then not P (~Q → ~P)

Biconditional P if and only if Q (P ↔ Q)

What Has the Same Truth Value?

✅ Original = Contrapositive
✅ Converse = Inverse
These pairs always match each other's truth value.

Teacher Test Trick

If you're asked:
"Which statement is logically equivalent to the conditional?"

The answer is almost always:

The contrapositive.

Easy Example to Remember

Original

If it is raining, then the ground is wet.

Converse

If the ground is wet, then it is raining.

❌ False (a sprinkler could have made it wet)

Inverse

If it is not raining, then the ground is not wet.

❌ False (the sprinkler could still make it wet)

Contrapositive

If the ground is not wet, then it is not raining.

✅ Logically equivalent to the original.

\(p\) is the hypothesis (the "if" part).

\(q\) is the conclusion (the "then" part). [1]