Geometric Rules Quick Reference
[Junior Level]
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This is a partial listing of the more popular rules (theorems, postulates, and properties) that you
will be using in your study of Geometry.
First a few words that refer to types of geometric "rules":
• A theorem is a statement (rule) that has been proven true using facts, operations and other
rules that are known to be true. These are usually the "big" rules of geometry. A short theorem
referring to a "lesser" rule is called a lemma.
• A corollary is a follow-up to an existing proven theorem. Corollaries are off-shoots of a
theorem that require little or no further proof.
• A postulate (or axiom) is a statement (rule) that is taken to be true without proof. Euclid
derived many of the rules for geometry starting with a series of definitions and only five
postulates.
• A property is a quality or characteristic belonging to something.
For example, the real numbers have the associative, commutative and distributive properties.
Your textbook (and your teacher) may want you to remember these
"rules" with slightly different wording.
Be sure to follow the directions from your teacher.
Angles:
Two angles that share a common vertex,
a common side, and no common interior
Adjacent Angles points (don't overlap).
m∠ABD and m∠DBC are adjacent.
m∠ABC and m∠DBC are not adjacent
Two adjacent angles whose non-common sides for a
Linear Pair
straight line.
Straight Angles All straight angles are congruent (equal in measure).
(They all have a measure of 180º.)
Vertical angles are congruent (equal
in measure).
Vertical Angles
m∠1 = m∠2
m∠3 = m∠4
The sum of the measures of the interior angles of a
Triangle Interior Sum
triangle is 180º.
The measure of an exterior angle of a triangle is equal to
Exterior Angle the sum of the measures of the two non-adjacent interior
angles.
Angles forming a
straight line
Angles around a point
Complementary Angles Two angles the sum of whose measures is 90º.
Supplementary Angles Two angles the sum of whose measures is 180º.
Triangles:
c2 = a2 + b2
Pythagorean Theorem In a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse equals
the sum of the square of the lengths of the legs.
The sum of the lengths of any two sides of a triangle
Sum of Two Sides
must be greater than the third side.
In a triangle, the longest side is across from the largest
Longest Side
angle.
In a triangle, the largest angle is across from the longest
Largest Angle
side
Triangles that are congruent if there corresponding
Congruent Triangles angles are congruent and their corresponding sides are
congruent.
Short-cuts to verify
SSS, ASA, AAS, SAS, HL(in right triangles)
congruent triangles
Angle-Angle (AA) If two angles of one triangle are congruent to two
Similarity angles of another triangle, the triangles are similar.
Corresponding sides of similar triangles are in
Sides of Similar Δs
proportion.
Parallels:
Corresponding If two parallel lines are cut by a transversal, then the pairs
Angles of corresponding angles are congruent.
Alternate Interior If two parallel lines are cut by a transversal, then the
Angles alternate interior angles are congruent.
Alternate Exterior If two parallel lines are cut by a transversal, then the
Angles alternate exterior angles are congruent.
If two parallel lines are cut by a transversal, the interior
Interiors on Same
angles on the same side of the transversal are
Side
supplementary.
Quadrilaterals:
• is a four sided polygon
Quadrilateral
• a figure with exactly four sides
• is a quadrilateral w/ both pairs of opposite sides parallel
Parallelograms
• opposite sides are equal in length
• is a parallelogram with 4 right angles
Rectangle • two pairs of parallel sides
• opposite sides of equal length
• is a parallelogram with all 4 sides of equal length
Rhombus
• two pairs of parallel sides
• is a parallelogram with 4 sides of equal length and 4 right
Square angles
• two pairs of parallel sides
Trapezoid • quadrilateral with at least one pair of parallel sides
• is a trapezoid with congruent base angles
Isosceles Trapezoid • at least one pair of parallel sides
• legs congruent
• is a quadrilateral with two sets of adjacent sides equal
Kite
• not a trapezoid and not a parallelogram
Area (A), Volume (V), Surface Area (SA):
Arectangle = l × w = b • h
Rectangle
l= length; w = width; b = base; h = height
Parallelogram Aparallelogram = b • h
Triangle AΔ = ½ • b• h
Trapezoid Atrapezoid = ½ h (b1 + b2) or decompose
Aregular polygon = ½ • a • p
Regular Polygon
a = apothem; p = perimeter
Circle C = 2πr = πd
(circumference) r = radius; d = diameter
Circle (area) Acircle = πr2
Rectangular Solid
(also called right
rectangular prism) SA formula assumes a "closed box" with all 6 sides.
Cube
[special case of rectangular
solid with all edges equal) SA formula assumes a "closed box" with all 6 sides. s = side
Cylinder
SA formula assumes a "closed container" with a top and a
bottom.
Cone
SA formula assumes a "closed container", with a bottom. s =
slant height
Sphere
Right Prism Vright prism = B • h; SA = 2B + p • h
(rectangular or triangular) B = area of the base; h = height; p = perimeter of base
Pyramid
[assuming all of the faces (not
the base) are the same] B = area of the base; h = height; p = perimeter of base; s = slant
height
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