PROPERTIES OF TRIANGLES

In this unit you will begin with a review of triangles and their properties. You will look
at classifying triangles by both angles and sides. You will examine the Angle Sum
Theorem and other theorems that apply to triangles. In the final part of this unit, you will
explore congruency between triangles by examining their corresponding angles and sides
and learn a very useful definition of congruent triangles (CPCTC).

Classifying Triangles by Angles

Classifying Triangles by Sides

Angles of a Triangle

Congruent Triangles
Classifying Triangles by Angles

triangle – A triangle is a three-sided polygon.

right triangle – A right triangle is a triangle that has one right angle.

obtuse triangle – An obtuse triangle is a triangle that has one obtuse angle.

acute triangle – An acute triangle is a triangle in which all the angles are acute.

equiangular triangle – An equiangular triangle is a triangle in which all three angles are
equal in measure.

Obtuse Triangle Acute Triangle

one obtuse angle (greater than 90°)

Right Triangle

All are acute angles (angles that

measure less than 90°).
hypotenuse
leg Equiangular

60°
leg 60°

One right angle (90°) 60°

60°

All angles measure the

same(60°).
Classifying Triangles by Sides

scalene triangle – A scalene triangle is a triangle that has all sides measuring different
lengths.

isosceles triangle – An isosceles triangle is a triangle that has two congruent sides.

equilateral triangle – An equilateral triangle is a triangle that has all sides congruent.

Scalene Triangle Isosceles Triangle Equilateral Triangle

All sides are

different lengths.

Two sides are the All three sides are the

same lengths. same length.
Let’s examine a triangle in the coordinate plane to determine what type of triangle it is.

Given + KLM . Use the distance formula to determine the type of triangle based on
the length of it sides.

y
K (–5, 4)

L( 4, 2)
x

M( –4,–2)

d = ( x2 − x1 ) 2 + ( y2 − y1 ) 2

KL = (−5 − 4) 2 + (4 − 2) 2 LM = [4 − (−4)]2 + [2 − (−2)]2 KM = [−5 − (−4)]2 + [4 − (−2)]2

d = (−9) 2 + (2) 2 d = (8) 2 + (4) 2 d = (−1) 2 + (6) 2
d = 85 d = 80 d = 37

+ KLM is a scalene triangle because each side measures a different length.

Angles of a Triangle

exterior angle – An exterior angle is an angle in the exterior of a triangle and is formed
with one side of a triangle and an extension of the adjacent side.

remote interior angles – Remote interior angles are the interior angles of a triangle that
are not adjacent to an exterior angle.

D
4
∠4 and ∠6 are the remote interior
∠5 is an exterior angle. angles of exterior ∠5.

A 5 6
S T

Theorem 10-A
The sum of the measures of the angles of a
Angle Sum
triangle is 180.
Theorem

Activity: Look at the angles in the triangle below. Draw a triangle similar to the one
shown below. It does not have to be the exact same size. Cut the angles away from the
triangle.

A A
B B

C C
Place the angles side by side at one vertex point, so that there are no gaps between the
angles as shown below.

180°

The three angles of the triangle total 180°.

Example 1: In + ABC , what is the m∠A if the m∠C = 95° and the m∠B = 40° ?

m∠A + m∠B + m∠C = 180 Angle Sum Theorem (Theorem 10-A)

m∠A + 40 + 95 = 180 Substitution
m∠A + 135 = 180 Simplify
m∠A = 45 Subtraction

If two of the angles in one triangle are

Theorem 10-B
congruent to two of the angles in a second
Third Angle
triangle, then the third angles of each
Theorem triangle are congruent.

Theorem 10-C In a triangle, the measure of an exterior

Exterior Angle angle is equal to the sum of the measures of
Theorem the two remote interior angles.
Use the figure below to solve the following examples.
D
87˚

4 2 B C
A 1 3 48˚ 5

87˚
E

Example 2: Find the m∠1.

In this problem, we will apply the Exterior Angle Theorem since ∠1 is the
exterior angle of remote interior angles, ∠BCE and ∠E , and the measures of
these angles are given.

m∠BCE = 48°; m∠E = 87° Given

m∠1 = m∠BCE + m∠E Exterior Angle Theorem (Theorem 10-C)
m∠1 = 48° + 87° Substitution
m∠1 = 135° Simplify

Example 3: Find the m∠2.

∠1 and ∠2 are a linear pair because they form a straight line.

m∠2 + m∠1 = 180° Linear pairs are supplementary. (Theorem 7-B)

m∠1 = 135° Determined in the previous example.
m∠2 + 135° = 180° Substitution
m∠2 = 45° Subtraction

Example 4: Find the m∠3.

∠2 and ∠3 are vertical angles.

∠2 ≅ ∠3 Vertical angles are congruent. (Theorem 7-H)

m∠2 = m∠3 Definition of congruency.
m∠2 = 45° Determined in the previous example.
m∠3 = 45° Substitution (m∠2 = 45°)
 Example 5: Find the m∠4.

For this problem, we will apply the Third Angle Theorem (10-B) even though
we could also use the Triangle Sum Theorem (10-A).

m∠D = m∠E Given

m∠2 = m∠3 Vertical angles have same measure.
m∠4 = m∠C = 48° Third Angle Theorem (Theorem 10-B)
(The measure of the third angle of +BCE = 48°.)

Example 6: Find the m∠5.

∠5 and ∠BCE are a linear pair because they form a straight line.

m∠5 + m∠BCE = 180° Linear pairs are supplementary. (Theorem 7-B)

m∠BCE = 48° Given
m∠5 + 48° = 180° Substitution
m∠5 = 132° Subtraction

corollary – A corollary is a theorem that can be easily proved by means of a closely

related theorem.

We will now look at some theorems that are closely related to the Angle Sum Theorem
(10-A); thus, instead of referring to them as theorems, we will name them corollaries.

Corollary 10-A-1 The acute angles of a right triangle are

complementary.
Corollary 10-A-2 There can be at most one right angle in
triangle.

J
Given: + JKL
∠K is a right angle
Prove: ∠J and ∠L are acute angles
L K

Statements Reasons

∠K is a right angle. Given

m∠K = 90 Definition of a right angle.
m∠K + m∠L + m∠J = 180 Angle Sum Theorem (Theorem 10-A)
90 + m∠L + m∠J = 180 Substitution Property
m∠L + m∠J = 90 Subtraction Property
m∠L = 90 − m∠J Subtraction Property
m∠J = 90 − m∠L Subtraction Property
∠L and ∠J are acute angles. Definition of acute angles

Corollary 10-A-3 There can be at most one obtuse angle in

triangle.

Corollary 10-A-4 The measure of each angle in an equiangular

triangle is 60.
Congruent Triangles

We will now examine congruent triangles through transformations. The first

transformation is a slide.

Slide

+ ABC ≅+ XYZ

Slide + ABC to the right and down until it fits exactly on top of + XYZ . These two
triangles are indeed congruent.

When two geometric figures are congruent, they have congruent corresponding parts.

∠A corresponds to ∠X. The symbol ↔ means "corresponds to".

A

X
∠A ↔ ∠X ∴∠A ≅ ∠X
C
∠C ↔ ∠Z ∴∠C ≅ ∠Z B
∠B ↔ ∠Y ∴∠B ≅ ∠Y
Z
A Y

X
AC ↔ XZ ∴ AC ≅ XZ
BC ↔ YZ ∴ BC ≅ YZ B C
AB ↔ XY ∴ AB ≅ XY
Y Z

Definition of Congruent Triangles

(CPCTC)

Two triangles are congruent if and only if their corresponding parts are congruent.

This definition is one that you will use many times in proofs about triangles. Be sure to
memorize it!

Corresponding Parts of Congruent Triangles are Congruent!

Flip (Reflection)

These figures show congruent triangles that are a reflection of each other.

+ ABC ≅+ XYZ
A

B C
Y Z

+ JKM ≅ +LKM
J ∠J ↔ ∠L ∴∠J ≅ ∠L
∠JKM ↔ ∠LKM ∴∠JKM ≅ ∠LKM
∠JMK ↔ ∠LMK ∴∠JMK ≅ ∠LMK
M K
JK ↔ LK ∴ JK ≅ LK
JM ↔ LM ∴ JM ≅ LM

L MK ↔ MK ∴ MK ≅ MK

*Note: In this figure, MK corresponds to itself.

Postulate 10-A Any segment or angle is congruent to itself.

(Reflexive Property)
Rotation

These figures show congruent triangles that are rotated. The second figure is a 90 degree
rotation of the first figure.
+ ABC ≅+ XYZ
A
∠A ↔ ∠X ∴∠A ≅ ∠X
∠C ↔ ∠Z ∴∠C ≅ ∠Z
∠B ↔ ∠Y ∴∠B ≅ ∠Y
B C
Y
AC ↔ XZ ∴ AC ≅ XZ
BC ↔ YZ ∴ BC ≅ YZ
AB ↔ XY ∴ AB ≅ XY

X
Z

In this figure, + ACD is a 180 degree rotation of + ACB and vice versa.
+ ABC ≅+ ADC

D A

C B
Example 1: Complete each correspondence and congruence statement.

∠BAC ↔ ____ ∠BAC ≅ ____

∠B ↔ ____ ∠B ≅ ____
∠BCA ↔ ____ ∠BCA ≅ ____

AB ↔ ____ AB ≅ ____
BC ↔ ____ BC ≅ ____
AC ↔ ____ AC ≅ ____

Solution:
∠BAC ↔ ∠ACD ∠BAC ≅ ∠ACD AB ↔ CD AB ≅ CD
∠B ↔ ∠D ∠B ≅ ∠D BC ↔ DA BC ≅ DA
∠BCA ↔ ∠DAC ∠BCA ≅ ∠DAC AC ↔ AC AC ≅ AC

Example 2: Which congruence statement in the previous example is an example

of Postulate 10-A? Please explain.

Solution: AC ≅ AC

Explanation: In the diagram, AC is a part of both triangles; thus, it is congruent

to itself. This is an example of the “reflexive” property of congruent segments,
Postulate 10-A.