Triangles – Summary Notes

INTRODUCTION
A plane figure bounded by three straight line segments, is called a
triangle. Every triangle has three vertices and three sides.
The adjoining figure shows a triangle ABC  ABC  , whose three
(i) vertices are A, B and C (ii) sides are AB, BC and CA.

RELATION BETWEEN SIDES AND ANGLES OF TRIANGLES

1. If all the sides of a triangle are of different lengths, its angles are
also of different measures in such a way that, the greater side has
greater angle opposite to it.
In the given triangle ABC, sides AB, BC and AC are all of different
lengths. Therefore, its angles i.e., A, B and C are also of
different measures.
Thus, in  ABC,
AB  BC  AC
 A  B  C
Also, according to the given figure, AC > BC > AB
 Angle opposite to AC > angle opposite to BC > angle opposite to AB
 B  A  C
2. Conversely, if all the angles of a triangle have different
measures, its sides are also of different lengths in such a way that,
the greater angle has greater side opposite to it.
In the given figure,
A   B   C
 AB  BC  AC
Also, according to the given figure, C  A  B
 Side opposite to C  side opposite to A  side opposite to  B
 AB  BC  AC
3. If any two sides of a triangle are equal, the angles opposite to
them are also equal. Conversely, if any two angles of a triangle
are equal, the sides opposite to them are also equal.
Thus, in triangle ABC,
(i) AB = AC B  C
and, (ii) B  C  AB  AC

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4. If all the sides of a triangle are equal, all its angles are also equal.
Conversely, if all the angles of a triangle are equal, all its sides are
also equal.
Thus, in triangle ABC,
(i) AB = BC = AC  A  B  C
and, (ii) A  B  C  AB  BC  AC

SOME IMPORTANT TERMS

1. Median: The median of a triangle, corresponding to any side, is the line joining the mid-point
of that side with the opposite vertex.

(i) A triangle has three medians and all the three medians are always concurrent i.e., they intersect
each other at one point only.
(ii) The point of intersection of the medians is called the
centroid of the triangle.
In the figure, G is the centroid of ABC .
(iii) Also, the centroid of a triangle divides each median in the
ratio 2:1.
i.e., in the given figure:
AG:GD = 2:1; BG:GE = 2:1
and CG:GF = 2:1.
2. Altitude: An altitude of a triangle, corresponding to any side, is the length of the
perpendicular drawn from the opposite vertex to that side.

(i) A triangle has three altitudes and all the three altitudes are always concurrent i.e., they intersect
each other at one point only.

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 (ii) The point of intersection of the altitudes of a triangle is called the orthocenter

In the given figure, O is the orthocenter of the triangle ABC.

1. The sum of the angles of a triangles is equal to two right angles i.e., 180 .
2. If one side of a triangle is produced, the exterior angle so formed is equal to the sum of the
two interior opposite angles.
3. As shown, in triangle ABC.
(i) A  B  C  2 right angles  180
(ii) Exterior angle at A  B  C .
(iii) Exterior angle at B  A  C .
(iv) Exterior angle at C  A  B .

Prove the following corollaries:

Corollary 1: If one side of a triangle is produced, the exterior angle so formed is greater than
each of the interior opposite angles.
Corollary 2: A triangle cannot have more than one right angle.
Corollary 3: A triangle cannot have more than one obtuse angle.
Corollary 4: In a right angled triangle, the sum of the other two angles (acute angles) is 90 .
Corollary 5: In every triangle, at least two angles are acute.
Corollary 6: If two angles of a triangle are equal to two angles of any other triangle, each to
each, then the third angles of both the triangles are also equal.

CONGRUENT TRIANGLES
Two triangles are said to be congruent to each other, if on placing one over the other, they exactly
coincide.
In fact, two triangles are congruent, if they have exactly the same shape and the same size. i.e., all
the angles and all the sides of one triangle are equal to the corresponding angles and the
corresponding sides of the other triangle each to each.
Triangles with same shape means: Angles of one triangle are equal to angles of other triangle each
to each.
Triangles with same size means: Sides of one triangle are equal to sides of other triangle each to
each.

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The given figure shows two triangles ABC and DEF such that:
(i) A  D; B  E and C  F .
(ii) AB = DE; BC = EF and AC = DF.
  ABC is congruent to  DEF and we write:
 ABC   DEF .
The symbol  is read as “is congruent to”.
1. Congruent figures (triangles) always coincide by superposition i.e. by placing one figure over
the other.
2. In congruent triangles, the sides and the angles that coincide by superposition are called
corresponding sides and corresponding angles.
3. The corresponding sides lie opposite to the equal angles and corresponding angles lie opposite
to the equal sides.
In the figure alongside,  ABC   EFD .
Since, A  E , therefore the side opposite to  A
and the side opposite to E are corresponding sides
i..e, BC and DF are corresponding sides.
Similarly, AB and EF are corresponding sides as
C   D .
Also, AC and DE are corresponding sides.
Conversely, as side AB = side EF, therefore, angles opposite to these sides i.e., C and D
are the corresponding angles and so on.
4. Corresponding Parts of Congruent Triangles are also Congruent.
Abbreviated as: C.P.C.T.C.

CONDITIONS FOR CONGRUENCY OF TRIANGLES

1. If three sides of one triangle are equal to three sides of the other triangle, each to each, the
triangles are congruent. Abbreviated as: S.S.S.
In the figure alongside, AB = DE,
BC = EF
and, AC = DF
 ABC  DEF . [By S.S.S.].
In each of the following figures, triangles are congruent by S.S.S.:

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2. If two sides and the included angle of one triangle are equal to two sides and the included
angle of the other triangle, the triangles are congruent.
Abbreviated as: S.A.S.
In the figure alongside,
AB = DE;
BC = EF and B  E .
 ABC  DEF [By S.A.S.]
Triangles will be congruent only when the equal angles are the included angles.

In each of the following figures, triangles are congruent by S.A.S.:

3. If two angles and the included side of one triangle are equal to two angles and the included
side of the other triangle, the triangles are congruent.
Abbreviated as: A.S.A.
In the figure alongside, A  D,
B  E
and, AB = DE
 ABC  DEF . [By A.S.A.]
In each of the following figures, triangles are congruent by A.S.A.:

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4. If two angles and one side of one triangle are equal to two angles and the corresponding side
of the other triangle, the triangles are congruent.
Abbreviated as: A.A.S.
In the figure alongside, A  D ,
B  E
and, BC = EF
 ABC  DEF . [By A.A.S.].
In each of the following figures, triangles are congruent by A.A.S.:

Precaution:
While using the axiom A.A.S., the two equal sides must be the corresponding sides, that is, the
sides must be opposite to equal angles of the two triangles under consideration.

In the figure, given alongside, the equal sides are AC and EF. And these two sides (i.e., AC
and EF) are not opposite to equal angles.
 ABC and DEF are not congruent by A.A.S.
The A.A.S. axiom is another form of axiom A.S.A.
In the figure, given alongside:
A  D, B  E
and, AC  DF  ABC  DEF by A.A.S.
Since, the sum of the angles of every triangle is 180 ,
therefore, if any two angles of a triangle are equal to two angles of another triangle, each to each,
then their third angles will also be equal.
 In triangles ABC and DEF;
A  D and B  E  C  F .
Reconsidering the given figure, now we have:
A  D, C  F and AC = DF
ABC   DEF by A.S.A.

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5. Two right-angled triangles are congruent, if the hypotenuse and one side of one triangle are equal
to the hypotenuse and corresponding side of the other triangle. Abbreviated as: R.H.S.
The given figure shows two right-angled triangles ABC and DEF such that:
B  E  90 ;
AC = DF
and, AB = DE
 ABC  DEF . [By R.H.S.]

Important:
1. The given figure shows two congruent triangles ABC and
DEF such that vertex A corresponds to vertex D (as,
A  D ); vertex B corresponds to vertex E (as,
B  E ) and, vertex C corresponds to vertex F (as,
C  F ).
We write: ABC  DEF and not ABC  DFE or BAC  DEF , etc.
In fact, the order of vertices of two congruent triangles must be written in such a way that the
corresponding vertices occupy the same position.
Thus, triangle ABC is congruent to triangle DEF

2. The adjoining figure shows two congruent triangles such

that, the corresponding vertices are:
A  E; B  D and C  F .

3. In the adjoining figure, the corresponding vertices are: A and F, B and D and C and E.

4. The same procedure is used for Similar Triangles.

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