Congruence

Set 1: Parallel Lines and Transversals

Instruction
Goal: To provide opportunities for students to develop concepts and skills related to identify
and use the relationships between special pairs of angles formed by parallel lines and
transversals
Common Core Standards
Congruence
Experiment with transformations in the plane.
G-CO.1.

Know precise definitions of angle, circle, perpendicular line, parallel line, and line
segment, based on the undefined notions of point, line, distance along a line, and
distance around a circular arc.

Prove geometric theorems.

G-CO.9.

Prove theorems about lines and angles.

Student Activities Overview and Answer Key

Station 1
Students will be given graph paper, a ruler, and a protractor. Students will use the graph paper
and ruler to model parallel lines cut by a transversal. They will use the protractor to find vertical
angles. Then they will use the graph paper to model lines, which are not parallel, that are cut by a
transversal. They will use the protractor to find vertical angles. They will realize that vertical angles
can be found by both parallel and non-parallel lines cut by a transversal.
Answers
1. Answers will vary.
2. A % C; B % D
3. vertical angles
4. E % H; F % G
5. Answers will vary.
6. Answers will vary.
7. E % H; F % G
8. vertical angles
9. A % D; B % C
10. Answers will vary.
11. Both parallel and non-parallel lines have vertical angles when cut by a transversal.
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2011 Walch Education

Geometry Station Activities for Common Core Standards

Congruence

Congruence
Set 1: Parallel Lines and Transversals
Instruction
Station 2
Students will be given graph paper, a ruler, and a protractor. Students will use the graph paper and
ruler to model parallel lines cut by a transversal. They will use the protractor to find supplementary
angles. Then they will use the graph paper to model lines, which are not parallel, that are cut by a
transversal. They will use the protractor to find supplementary angles. They will describe which types
of angles are supplementary angles when two lines are cut by a transversal.
Answers
1. A and B; C and D; E and F; G and H; A and C; B and D; E and G;
F and H
2. Answers will vary.
3. A and B; C and D; E and F; G and H; A and C; B and D; E and G;
F and H
4. Answers will vary.
5. adjacent angles; interior angles on the same side of the transversal but only when the
transversal intersects parallel lines.
Station 3
Students will be given spaghetti noodles, a protractor, graph paper, and a ruler. Students will use
the graph paper and spaghetti noodles to model parallel lines cut by a transversal. They will use the
protractor to measure the angles created by the transversal. Then they will explore and define the
exterior, interior, alternate exterior, and alternate interior angles created by the transversal.
Answers
1. 8 angles
2. interior
3. exterior
4. 1, 2, 7, 8
5. 3, 4, 5, 6
6. Answers will vary.
7. m1 = m7; m2 = m8; m3 = m5; m4 = m6
8. 4 and 6; 3 and 5
9. 1 and 7; 2 and 8
10. equal; equal
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Geometry Station Activities for Common Core Standards

2011 Walch Education

Congruence
Set 1: Parallel Lines and Transversals
Instruction
Station 4
Students will be given spaghetti noodles, a protractor, and two parallel lines cut by a transversal.
Students will use the spaghetti noodles to model the letter F to find corresponding angles. Then
they will use the protractor to measure the angles and justify their answer.
Answers
1. 3 and 7
2. 1 and 5; 2 and 6; 3 and 7; 4 and 8
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.

Materials List/Setup
Station 1

graph paper; ruler; protractor

Station 2

graph paper; ruler; protractor

Station 3

dry spaghetti noodles; protractor; graph paper; ruler

Station 4

dry spaghetti noodles; protractor

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2011 Walch Education

Geometry Station Activities for Common Core Standards

Congruence
Set 1: Parallel Lines and Transversals
Instruction
Discussion Guide
To support students in reflecting on the activities and to gather some formative information about
student learning, use the following prompts to facilitate a class discussion to debrief the station
activities.
Prompts/Questions
1. How many angles are created when parallel or non-parallel lines are cut by a transversal?
2. What are exterior angles?
3. What are interior angles?
4. What is a vertical angle?
5. What are alternate exterior angles?
6. What are alternate interior angles?
7. What two types of angles are supplementary when parallel lines are cut by a transversal?
Think, Pair, Share
Have students jot down their own responses to questions, then discuss with a partner (who was not
in their station group), and then discuss as a whole class.
Suggested Appropriate Responses
1. 8 angles
2. Exterior angles lie on the outside of the lines cut by the transversal.
3. Interior angles lie in between the two lines cut by the transversal.
4. Vertical angles are two angles formed by two intersecting lines that lie on opposite sides of the
point of intersection.
5. Alternate exterior angles are pairs of angles on opposite sides of the transversal that are outside
of the parallel or non-parallel lines.
6. Alternate interior angles are pairs of angles on opposite sides of the transversal that are inside
the parallel or non-parallel lines.
7. Interior angles on the same side of the transversal and adjacent angles are supplementary in
this situation.

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Geometry Station Activities for Common Core Standards

2011 Walch Education

Congruence
Set 1: Parallel Lines and Transversals
Instruction
Possible Misunderstandings/Mistakes
Not finding corresponding angles correctly and identifying that they have the same measure
if the lines cut by the transversal are parallel
Mixing up interior and exterior angles
Not realizing vertical angles are always equal whether or not the lines cut by the transversal
are parallel
Not realizing that alternate interior or exterior angles must be on the opposite side of the
transversals

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2011 Walch Education

Geometry Station Activities for Common Core Standards

NAME:

Congruence
Set 1: Parallel Lines and Transversals
Station 1
At this station, you will find graph paper, a ruler, and a protractor. As a group, construct two parallel
lines that are cut by a transversal and label the angles as shown in the diagram below.

B
D

C
E

1. Use the protractor to measure the following angles:

m A = ______ m B = ______ m C = ______ m D = ______
2. Which pairs of angles are equal in problem 1?
__________________
3. The pairs of angles found in problem 2 have a special name. What are these angles called?
(Hint: Think about their location in relation to each other.)
__________________
4. What pairs of angles are congruent for angles E, F, G, and H?
__________________
5. What strategy did you use to find the angle pairs in problem 4?

continued
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Geometry Station Activities for Common Core Standards

2011 Walch Education

NAME:

Congruence
Set 1: Parallel Lines and Transversals
On your graph paper, construct a new graph of two lines that are NOT parallel. These lines are cut by
a transversal. Label the angles as shown in the diagram below.

B
D
C

F
G

6. Use the protractor to measure the following angles:

m E = ______ m F = ______ m G = ______ m H = ______
7. Which pairs of angles are equal?
8. The pairs of angles found in problem 7 have a special name. What are these angles called?
(Hint: Think about their location in relation to each other.)
__________________
9. What pairs of angles are congruent for angles A, B, C, and D?
__________________
10. What strategy did you use to find the angle pairs in problem 9?

11. Based on your observations in problems 110, vertical angles can be found for what types of
lines cut by a transversal?

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2011 Walch Education

Geometry Station Activities for Common Core Standards

NAME:

Congruence
Set 1: Parallel Lines and Transversals
Station 2
At this station, you will find graph paper, a ruler, and a protractor. As a group, construct two parallel
lines that are cut by a transversal and label the angles as shown in the diagram below.

D
E

1. Which angles are supplementary angles?

2. Use your protractor to justify your answer to problem 1 by recording the measurements of each
angle below.
m A = ______

m C = ______

m E = ______

m G = ______

m B = ______

m D = ______

m F = ______

m H = ______

On your graph paper, construct a new graph of two lines that are NOT parallel. These lines are cut by
a transversal. Label the angles as shown in the diagram below.

B
D
C

F
G

3. Which angles are supplementary angles?

continued
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Geometry Station Activities for Common Core Standards

2011 Walch Education

NAME:

Congruence
Set 1: Parallel Lines and Transversals
4. Use your protractor to justify your answer to problem 3 by recording the measurements of each
angle below.
m A = ______

m C = ______

m E = ______

m G = ______

m B = ______

m D = ______

m F = ______

m H = ______

5. Based on your answers and observations in problems 14, which of the following types of
angles are supplementary?
vertical angles

adjacent angles

alternate exterior angles

alternate interior angles

interior angles on the same side of the transversal

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2011 Walch Education

Geometry Station Activities for Common Core Standards

NAME:

Congruence
Set 1: Parallel Lines and Transversals
Station 3
At this station, you will find spaghetti noodles, a protractor, graph paper, and a ruler. Follow the
directions below, and then answer the questions.
On the graph paper, construct two parallel horizontal lines.
Construct a diagonal line that passes through both parallel lines. This line is called a
transversal.
1. How many angles does this transversal create with the two parallel lines?
__________________
On your graph paper, label the angles to model the parallel lines and transversal shown below.

5 6
7

Place a spaghetti noodle on each parallel line.

2. Are the angles between the spaghetti noodles called exterior or interior angles?
__________________
3. Are the angles above the top parallel spaghetti noodle and below the bottom spaghetti noodle
called exterior or interior angles?
__________________

continued
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Geometry Station Activities for Common Core Standards

2011 Walch Education

NAME:

Congruence
Set 1: Parallel Lines and Transversals
4. Which angles are exterior angles? __________________
5. Which angles are interior angles? __________________
6. Use your protractor to measure each angle. Write the angle measurements below.
m 1 = ______

m 3 = ______

m 5 = ______

m 7 = ______

m 2 = ______

m 4 = ______

m 6 = ______

m 8 = ______

7. Based on your answers in problem 6, which pairs of interior and which pairs of exterior angles
are equal?
8. Based on your answers in problems 6 and 7, which angles are alternate interior angles?
9. Based on your answers in problems 6 and 7, which angles are alternate exterior angles?
10. Based on your observations, alternate interior angles have __________________ measure.
Alternate exterior angles have __________________ measure.

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2011 Walch Education

Geometry Station Activities for Common Core Standards

NAME:

Congruence
Set 1: Parallel Lines and Transversals
Station 4
At this station, you will find spaghetti noodles, a protractor, and parallel lines cut by a transversal.

5
7

1
3

The letter F has been drawn on the diagram above in a bold line. Place spaghetti noodles on the F.
1. What angles are at the inside corners of the F? __________________
These are called corresponding angles.
2. Move the spaghetti noodles around to create more Fs that help you find the corresponding
angles. Write the pairs of corresponding angles in the space below.

3. What strategy did you use to move the letter F around to help you find the corresponding
angles?

4. Use your protractor to measure each angle to justify your answers for problem 2.
m 1 = ______

m 3 = ______

m 5 = ______

m 7 = ______

m 2 = ______

m 4 = ______

m 6 = ______

m 8 = ______

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Geometry Station Activities for Common Core Standards

2011 Walch Education