Mathematics For
Engineers 2
Triangles
MODULE 3
What is a Triangle?
• A triangle has three sides, three vertices, and
three angle .
• The sum of the three interior angles of a triangle is
always 180°.
• The sum of the length of two sides of a triangle is
always greater than the length of the third side.
• A triangle with vertices P, Q, and R is denoted as
△PQR.
• The area of a triangle is equal to half of the
product of its base and height.
Properties of Triangle
Base: The base of a triangle can be any one of the Vertices: The vertex (plural: vertices) is a corner of the
three sides, usually the one drawn at the triangle. Every triangle has three vertices.
bottom. You can pick any side you like to be
the base. Commonly used as a reference side
for calculating the area of the triangle. In an
isosceles triangle, the base is usually taken to
be the unequal side.
Altitude: The altitude of a triangle is the
perpendicular from the base to the opposite
vertex. (The base may need to be extended). Since
there are three possible bases, there are also three
possible altitudes. The three altitudes intersect at a
single point, called the orthocenter of the triangle.
See Orthocenter of a Triangle.
Properties of Triangle
Median: A median of a triangle is a line segment from
a vertex of the triangle to the midpoint of the
side opposite that vertex. Because there are
three vertices, there are of course three
possible medians. One of the fascinating
things about them is that no matter what
shape the triangle, all three always intersect
at a single point. This point is called the
centroid of the triangle.
Centroid: The centroid of a triangle is the point through
which all the mass of a triangular plate seems
to act. Also known as its 'center of gravity' , ‘
center of mass' , or barycenter. Centroid is
the point where the triangle’s
medians intersect.
Types of Triangle Base on Sides
• There are three special names given to triangles that tell
how many sides (or angles) are equal.
(There can be 3, 2 or no equal sides/angles)
How to remember? Alphabetically they go 3, 2, none:
• Equilateral: "equal"-lateral (lateral means side) so they have
all equal sides
• Isosceles: means "equal legs", and we have two legs, right?
Also iSOSceles has two equal "Sides" joined by an "Odd"
side.
• Scalene: means "uneven" or "odd", so no equal sides.
Types of Triangle Base on
Angles
• Triangles can also have names that tell you what type of angle is inside:
Types of Triangle Base on Sides
and Angles
• Triangles can also have names that tell you how many sides what type of
angle is inside:
Fun Facts:
A triangle can always be split into two right triangles, irrespective of its
orientation.
Triangles are polygons with the least number of sides.
Interior Angle of a Triangle
• The three interior angles always add to 180°
Exterior Angle of a Triangle
• An exterior angle of a triangle is equal to the sum of the opposite interior angles.
• If the equivalent angle is taken at each vertex, the exterior angles always add to 360° In fact, this is true for
any convex polygon, not just triangles. See Exterior angles of a polygon. In the figure above, drag the
triangle's vertices and see that this is so.
Perimeter of a Triangle
• The perimeter is the distance around the edge of the triangle: just add up the three sides:
Area of a triangle
• The number of square units it takes to exactly fill the interior of a triangle.
• Usually called "half of base times height", the area of a triangle is given by the formula below.
Area = bh
where:
b is the length of the base
h is the length of the corresponding altitude
Examples:
Area = bh Area = bh
= (15.4)(7.8) = (10)(9)
= 60.06 = 45
Area of a triangle using Heron's
Formula
• A method for calculating the area of a triangle when you know the lengths of all three sides.
Heron’s Formula:
Area =
Where:
a, b, and c are lengths of the sides of a triangle.
s is half the perimeter or
Example:
s = area =
=
= 36 =
= 216
Example:
s = area =
= =
= 33.8
= 181.43
Length of the median of a Triangle:
(Apollonius)
1
𝑚𝑎 =
2
√ 2 𝑏2 +2 𝑐 2 − 𝑎2
1
𝑚𝑏 =
2
√ 2 2
2 𝑎 + 2 𝑐 −𝑏
2
1
𝑚𝑐 =
2
√ 2 𝑎2 + 2𝑏 2 − 𝑐2
where:
are the length of the median
a, b, and c are the sides of the triangle
Example:
16.76
14.97
16.76
Angle Bisector
• A line that splits an angle into two equal angles. ("Bisect" means to
divide into two equal parts.)
Inscribed and Circumscribed
Circles of Triangles
• Given a triangle, an inscribed circle is the
largest circle contained within the triangle.
The inscribed circle will touch each of the
three sides of the triangle in exactly one
point. The center of the circle inscribed in
a triangle is the incenter of the triangle,
the point where the angle bisectors of the
triangle meet.
Inscribed and Circumscribed
Circles of Triangles
• Given a triangle, the circumscribed circle
is the circle that passes through all three
vertices of the triangle. The center of the
circumscribed circle is the circumcenter of
the triangle, the point where the
perpendicular bisectors of the sides meet.
Right Triangle: Inscribed and
Circumscribed Circle Formulas
Isosceles Triangle: Inscribed and
Circumscribed Circle Formulas
Equilateral Triangle: Inscribed
and Circumscribed Circle
Formulas
Scalene Triangle: Inscribed and
Circumscribed Circle Formulas
• Example 1: Find the radius of the inscribe circle.
Using radius =
Where : A is the area of triangle
p is the perimeter of triangle
Using Heron’s Formula:
A
where :
s=
=
= 37.85
A
Substituting the value of A and p:
254.99
and; radius =
p = a+b+c =
= 75.7 = 6.74
• Example 2: Find the radius of the circumscribed circle.
Using R =
Where :
a is one side of triangle
R =
= 8.66
Activity 3
I. Find the radius of the following
inscribe circle.
2. 3.
1.
II. Find the radius of the following
circumscribed circle.
1. 2. 3.
III. Find the area of the following
Triangle
1. 2.
III. Find the area of the following
Triangle
3. 4.