Triangles

Triangles Fundamental Properties of Triangles

1. Sum of any two sides is always greater than the third side.

2. The difference of any two sides is always less than the third side.

3. Greater angle has a greater side opposite to it and smaller angle has a smaller side
opposite to it i.e., if two sides of a triangle are not congruent then the angle opposite to
the greater side is greater.
5. Sine rule: In a ∆ABC, if a, b, c be the three sides opposite to the angles A, B, C respectively, then

𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
= =
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐴 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐶

6. Cosine rule: In a ∆ABC, if a, b, c be the sides opposite to angle A, B and C respectively, then

𝑏2 + 𝑐 2 − 𝑎2
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝐴 =
2𝑏𝑐

𝑐 2 + 𝑎2 − 𝑏2
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝐵 =
2𝑐𝑎

𝑎2 + 𝑏2 − 𝑐 2
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝐶 =
2𝑎𝑏
 7. The sum of all the three interior angles is always 180° i.e.,
∠CAB+∠ABC+∠BCA=180°
8. The sum of three (ordered) exterior angles of triangle is 360°
8. The sum of an interior angle and its adjacent exterior angle is 180°.

9. A triangle must has at least two acute angles.

10. In a triangle, the measure of an exterior angle equals the sum of the measures of the interior
opposite angles.

11. The measure of an exterior angle of a triangle is greater than the measure of each of the opposite
interior angles.
Altitude (or height)
The perpendicular drawn from the opposite vertex
of a side in a triangle is called an altitude of the
triangle.
There are three altitudes in a triangle.
AE, CD and BF are the altitudes

Median
The line segment joining the mid-point of a side to
the vertex opposite to the side is called a median.
• There are three medians in a triangle.
• A median bisects the area of the triangle
1
i.e. 𝐴(𝐴𝐵𝐸) = 𝐴(𝐴𝐸𝐶) = 2𝐴(∆𝐴𝐵𝐶)etc.

AE, CD and BF are the medians (BE=CE, AD=BD, AF=CF)

Angle bisector
A line segment which originates from a vertex and
bisects the same angle is called an angle bisector.
1
(∠𝐵𝐴𝐸 = ∠𝐶𝐴𝐸 = 2∠𝐵𝐴𝐶)etc.

Perpendicular bisector
A line segment which bisects a side perpendicularly (i.e., at
right angle) is called a perpendicular bisector of a side of
triangle.
All points on the perpendicular bisector of a line are
equidistant from the ends of the line.
Orthocenter
The point of intersection of the three altitudes of the triangle is called as
the Orthocenter.
∠𝐵𝑂𝐶 = 180 − ∠𝐴
∠𝐶𝑂𝐴 = 180 − ∠𝐵
∠𝐴𝑂𝐵 = 180 −∠𝐶
• For an obtuse angle triangle, the Orthocenter lies outside the triangle
• For an acute angle triangle, the Orthocenter lies inside the triangle.
• For a right-angle triangle, the Orthocenter lies on the triangle.

Centroid
The point of intersection of the three medians of a
triangle is called the centroid. A centroid divides
each median in the ratio 2 : 1 (vertex : base)
Incenter
The point of intersection of the angle bisectors of a triangle is called the
Incenter. Incenter O is the always equidistant from all three sides i.e., the
perpendicular distance between the sides and Incenter is always same for
all the three sides.

Circumcenter
The point of intersection of the perpendicular bisectors of the sides of
a triangle is called the Circumcenter. OA = OB=OC = (Circumradius)
Circumcenter O is always equidistant from all the three vertices A, B
and C.
 Important Theorems on Triangles

Pythagoras theorem

The square of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle

is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides,
i. e.,
(AC)2 =(AB)2 + (BC)2
• The converse of this theorem is also true.
• The numbers which satisfy this relation, are called
Pythagorean triplets.
e.g., (3,4, 5), (5,12,13), (7,24,25), (8,15,17), (9,40,41), (11, 60, 61), (12, 35, 37),
(16, 63, 65), (20,21,29), (28, 45, 53), (33, 56,65)
Note: All the multiples (or submultiples) of
Pythagorean triplets also satisfy the relation, e.g., (6, 8,10), (15,36, 39),
(1.5,2,2.5) etc.
Basic proportionality y theorem (BPT) or Thale's theorem

Any line parallel to one side of a triangle divides the other two sides proportionally. So, if DE is drawn
parallel to BC, it would divide sides AB and AC proportionally i.e.

Midpoint theorem
If the mid-points of two adjacent sides of a triangle are
joined by a line segment, then this segment is parallel to
the third side. i.e., if AD = BD and AE = CE then DE||BC
Apollonius theorem
In a triangle, the sum of the squares of any two sides of a
triangle is equal to twice the sum of the square of the median
to the third side and square of half the third side. i.e.,
AB2 + AC2 = 2(AD2 + BD2 )

Interior angle bisector theorem

In a triangle the angle bisector of an angle divides the
opposite side to the angle in the ratio of the remaining
two sides. i.e

Exterior angle bisector theorem

In a triangle the angle bisector of any exterior angle of a
triangle divides the side opposite to the external angle in the
ratio of the remaining two sides i.e
SOME USEFUL RESULTS

1. In a ∆ABC, if the bisectors of ∠𝐵 and ∠𝐶 meet at O then

2. In an obtuse angle ∆ABC, AD is perpendicular dropped on BC. BC is produced to D to meet AD, then
3. The ratio of areas of two triangles of equal heights is equal to the ratio of their corresponding bases. i.e.

4. If the two triangles have the same base and lie between the same parallel lines (as shown in figure), then the
area of two triangles will be equal. i.e. 𝐴(△ 𝐴𝐵𝐶) = 𝐴(△ 𝐴𝐷𝐵)

5. In a triangle AE, CD and BF are the medians then

3(𝐴𝐵2 +𝐵𝐶2 + 𝐴𝐶2 ) = 4(𝐶𝐷2 + 𝐵𝐹2 +𝐴𝐸2 )
6. Hypotenuse is the side opposite the right angle in a right-angled triangle. In a right-angled triangle,
hypotenuse is the largest side. In obtuse angled triangle, the side opposite the obtuse angle is the largest side.

7. In triangle, the internal bisector of an angle bisects the opposite side in the ratio of the other two sides. In
triangle ABC, If AD is the angular bisector of angle A, then BD/DC=AB/AC. This is called the Angular
Bisector Theorem.
8. In ABC, If AD is the median from A to side BC (meeting BC at its mid-point D), then 2 𝐴𝐷2 +𝐵𝐷 2 =
𝐴𝐵2 + 𝐴𝐶 2 . This is called the Apollonius Theorem. This will be helpful in calculating the lengths of the
three medians given the lengths of the three sides of the triangle.
 Important points about geometric centers of a triangle

Centroid divides each of the medians in the ratio 2:1, the part of the median towards the vertex being twice in
length to the part towards the side.
Inradius is less than half of any of the three altitudes of the triangle.
• In an isosceles triangle, the centroid, the orthocenter, the circumcenter and the incenter, all lie on the
median to the base.
• In an equilateral triangle, the centroid, the orthocenter, the circumcenter and the incenter, all coincide.
• The radii of the circumcircle and the incircle of an equilateral triangle are in the ratio 2:1, the areas of the
circumcircle and the incircle of an equilateral triangle will be in the ratio of 4:1.
• When the three medians of a triangle (i.e., the medians to the three sides of a triangle from the
corresponding opposite vertices) are drown, the resulting six triangles are equal in area and the area of
each of these triangles in turn in equal to one-sixth of the area of the original triangle.

In figure AD, BE and CF are the medians drawn to the three sides. The three medians meet at the
centroid G. The six resulting triangles AGF, BGD, CGD, CGE and AGE are equal in area and each of
them is equal to 1/6th of the area of triangle ABC
 Two triangles are similar if,
• The three angles of one are respectively equal to the three angles of the second triangle.
• Two sides of one triangle are proportional to two sides of the other and the included angles are equal
1. In two similar triangles,
(a) Ratio of sides = Ratio of heights (altitudes) = Ratio of the lengths of the medians = Ratio of the lengths of
the angular bisectors = Ratio of inradii = Ratio of circumradii.
(b) Ratio of areas = Ratio of squares of corresponding sides.

2. The four triangles that are formed by the two bisecting diagonals with the four sides of the rhombus will
all be congruent.

3. If ABC is a right-angle Triangle and ∠𝐵 = 90° and D is the mid-point of hypotenuse AC, then AD=BD=DC Explanation:
AD, BD and DC are the radius of a circle passing through A, B and C with D as its center
Congruent Triangles.

Two triangles are congruent if they satisfy the following conditions.

SSS congruency (Side – Side – Side)

If the three sides of one triangle are equal to the corresponding three sides of other triangle, then two
triangles are congruent.

SAS congruency (Side – Angle – Side)

If two sides and the angle included between them are equal to the corresponding side and angle included of
other triangle are equal, then the two triangles are congruent.
In ABC and PQR, AB = PQ, BC = QR and ∠𝐵 = ∠𝑄, then ABC ≅PQR
ASA congruency (Angle – Side – Angle)
If two angle and the side included between then are equal to the corresponding angles and side included of
other triangle are equal, then two triangles are congruent.
In ABC and PQR, ∠𝐵 = ∠𝑄, ∠𝐶 = ∠𝑅 and BC = QR then, ABC ≅PQR

AAS congruency (Angle - Angle - Side)

If two angles and the side other than the included side of one triangle are equal to the corresponding angles
and the side other than included side of other triangle are equal, then the two triangles are congruent.
In ABC and PQR, ∠𝐵 = ∠𝑄, ∠𝐶 = ∠𝑅and AC = PRthen, ABC ≅PQR

RHS congruency (Right angle – Hypotenuse – Side)

If hypotenuse and one side of right-angled triangle are equal to hypotenuse and corresponding side of
other triangle, then the two triangles are congruent.
In ABC and PQR, BC = QR, AC = PR and ∠𝐵 = ∠𝑄 = 90°, then ABC = PQR
Similar Triangles
Two triangles are said to be similar if they satisfy the following conditions.
1. AA similarity If two angles of one triangle are equal to the two angles of the other triangle, then the two
triangles a similar
2. SAS similarity If two sides of one triangle are proportional to the corresponding side of other triangle
and the angle included by them are equal, then the two triangles are similar
3. SSS similarity If three sides of one triangle are proportional to the corresponding three sides of other
triangle, then the two triangles are similar.
Properties of Similar Triangles
If the two triangles are similar, then for the proportional/ corresponding sides we have the following
results.
1. Ratio of sides = Ratio of heights (altitudes)
= Ratio of medians
= Ratio of angle bisectors
= Ratio of inradii
= Ratio of circumradii
2. Ratio of areas = Ratio of squares of corresponding sides.
i.e., if △ 𝐴𝐵𝐶 ∼△ 𝑃𝑄𝑅
𝐴 △𝐴𝐵𝐶 𝐴𝐵 2 𝐵𝐶 2 𝐴𝐶 2
𝐴 △𝑃𝑄𝑅
= 𝑃𝑄 2
= 𝑄𝑅 2
= 𝑃𝑅 2
Note: Rule 1 can also apply with rule2.

3. In a right-angled triangle, the triangles on each side of the altitude

drawn from the vertex of the right angle to the hypotenuse are
similar to the original triangle and to each other too.
i.e., if △ 𝐴𝐵𝐶 ∼△ 𝑃𝑄𝑅
Note:
For Polygons having the same Perimeter, the one that has the largest number of sides has the largest
area.
i.e. for the same Perimeter, area increases as the number of sides increase.
area (Triangle) < area (Quad) < area (Hexagon) < area (Circle)

For polygons having the same Area, the one having the smallest number of sides has the largest
perimeter.
i.e. For the same Area, Perimeter increases as the number of sides decrease.
Perimeter (Circle) < perimeter (Hexagon) < perimeter (Quad) < perimeter (Triangle)