Geometry Notes T - 1: Parallel Lines and Transversals

Definition: Two distinct coplanar lines are parallel if they never intersect.

Postulate: Through a point not on a given line, there .

is exactly one line parallel to the given line.

This is known as Playfair’s Axiom. It is equivalent to

Euclid’s Parallel Postulate.

t
Vocabulary (Know these!)
2 1 l1
Transversal: A line, t, that intersects two other lines, l1 and l2, 4
3
at different points.

Transversal t and line l1 form a set of four angles; , call them Set 1; t
6 5
and l2 form a second set of four angles, Set 2. Each set contains two l2
pairs of vertical angles, e.g., 1 and 3, and four linear pairs, e.g., 7 8
1 and 2. Recall

Vertical angle are .

A linear pair of angles is .

The terms below refer to pairs of angles, one from each sf Set 1 and Set 2.

Corresponding angles: Angles in the same relative positions.

Ex: 1 and 5 (both in the “upper right”)
Also, 2 and 6, 3 and 7, and 4 and 8.

Alternate interior angles: Angles between the two lines and on opposite sides of the transversal.
Ex: 3 and 5, 4 and 6

Same side interior angles: Angles between the two lines and on the same side of the transversal.
Ex: 3 and 6, 4 and 5

Two Facts

1. If a line is translated in its own direction, the image will be the same line. P
If the line at right is translated so the image of P is P', the line will map
onto itself. P'

2. If two lines, l1 and l2, are parallel and P is any point on l1 and Q is any point on l2,
P l1
then after a translation along the vector , the image of l1 will coincide with l2.
(If l1 and l2, are not parallel , then no translation can make the image of l1
coincide with l2.) Q l2
Corresponding Angles Theorem and Converse t

Theorem: When parallel lines are cut by a transversal, 2 1

corresponding angles are 3 P l1
4

Given: l1 || l2, transversal t intersects l1 at P and l2 at Q 6 5

Q l2
7
Prove: 1  5, 2  6, etc. 8

After a translation along ,

a) since P and Q are both on t, the image of t is

b) since P is on l1 and Q is on l2 and l1 || l2, the image of l1 is

This means that the image of 1 is , the image of 2 is , etc.

Therefore, 1 , 2 , etc. because in each pair

Theorem (converse of above): When two lines are cut by a transversal and corresponding angles are congruent,

Given: l1 and l2, transversal t intersects l1 at P and l2 at Q, and 1  5.

Prove: l1 || l2

Proof by contradiction (a.k.a., indirect proof).

Suppose l1  l2. Then under the translation along , the image of t is still t but the image of l1 is not l2. This
would mean 5 is not the image of 1 and so they couldn’t be congruent. But this contradicts a given: 1 
5. Therefore, it is not possible that l1  l2. So we must conclude l1 || l2.

Recap: If l1  l2, then our given, 1  5, isn’t be true.

But givens must be true.
Therefore l1  l2 can’t be true.
So, l1 || l2.

Ex: If l1 || l2, find the measures of all seven unknown angles on the diagram. t

l1
t
130
47
a l2

48
b

Ex: Which lines are parallel? 49

c
48
d
Alternate Interior Angles Theorem and Converse

Theorem: When parallel lines are cut by a transversal, alternate interior angles are congruent.
t
Given:
2 1
l1
Prove: 3 4

6 5
l2
7 8

The converse of this theorem is also true: When two lines are cut by a transversal and alternate interior angles
are congruent, the lines are parallel.

Ex: In the diagram at right, find the measures of the three marked angles and
determine if l1 || l2.
l2
6x – 4 15x – 5

5x + 5
l1
 Geometry Notes T - 2: Parallel Lines and Transversals 2

Summary of Important Facts

1. If lines are parallel, corresponding angles are congruent.
Ex: If l1 || l2, 1  5. t

1C. If corresponding angles are congruent, then lines are parallel. 2 1

Ex: If 2  6, then l1 || l2. 3
l1
4
2. If lines are parallel, alternate interior angles are congruent.
Ex: If l1 || l2, 3  5
6 5
2C. If alternate interior angles are congruent, then lines are parallel. l2
7 8
Ex: If 4  6, then l1 || l2.
3. If lines are parallel, same side interior angles are supplementary.
Ex: If l1 || l2, 4 and 5 are supplementary.
3C. If same side interior angles are supplementary, then lines are parallel
Ex: If 3 and 6 are supplementary, then l1 || l2.

Ex: Given: Quadrilateral ABCD with D B

A B
Prove: ABCD is a parallelogram

D C
Ex: Given: , , bisects ADF F
Prove: DAB DBA
D
C E

A B

A Review Construction

Ex: Construct ray OQ perpendicular to ray OP.

O
 Geometry Notes T - 3: Triangles

Theorem: The sum of the interior angles of a triangle is .

C
Given: ABC
2
Prove: m1 + m2 + m3 =

1 3
A B
 Geometry Notes T - 4: Exterior Angle Theorem

Definition: An exterior angle of a polygon is an angle outside the polygon formed by extending one side.

a c

Theorem: The measure of an exterior angle of a triangle is equal to

Corollary: The measure of an exterior angle of a triangle is

Ex: Find the value of x in each diagram:

a.

30 x

3x
b.
80
x

c.
x

3x – 25
 Geometry Class Work: Medians of a Triangle

PQR with vertices P(0, 4), Q(6, 0) and R(18, 8) is graphed below.
y
R
8

P
4

Q x
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

1. Let L, M and N, be the midpoints of , and . Graph medians , and . Use a

straight-edge.

2. The point where the three medians intersect is called the centroid. Label it C and find its coordinates. (If
your medians do not all intersect in a single point, check your work.)

3. Find the following lengths. Irrational lengths should be in simplest radical form.

PC = CM =

QC = CN =

RC = CL =

4. Find the following ratios in simplest form:

PC:CM =

QC:CN =

RC:CL =
 Geometry Notes T - 5: Centroid of a Triangle

Theorem: The medians of a triangle are concurrent.

C
Medians , and all intersect
at point G, called the centroid.
E D
Note: The centroid of a triangle is its center of gravity
(a.k.a the the center of mass), the point on which the G
triangle can be perfectly balanced. A B
F
Theorem: The centroid divides each median in the ratio 2:1.

AG:GD = BG:GE = CG:GF = 2:1

Theorem: If the vertices of a triangle are (x1, y1), (x2, y2), (x3, y3), the coordinates of the centroid are

(Average the x-values; average the y-values.)

Ex: Find the coordinates of the centroid of ABC having vertices A(4, –2), B(7, 3) , and C(1, 8).

Ex: The coordinates of the vertices of RST are R(a, b), S(a + 5, b – 1) and T(2a, 3b + 8). The coordinates of
the centroid of the triangle are (–1, 9). Find the values of a and b.

Ex: In PQR, M is the midpoint of and C is the centroid. If PC = 4x + 4 and CM = 3x – 3, find the length
of median .
 Geometry Notes T - 6: Medians and Midsegments

Ex: Quadrilateral PUMA has vertices P(-1, -5), U(0, 2), M(5, 7), and A(4, 0). Prove using coordinate geometry
that

a. The diagonals of PUMA bisect each other. y

b. The diagonals of PUMA are perpendicular to each other.

A x

c. Sides PU and PA are congruent.

 Geometry Notes T - 7: Prooflets
A B
Ex: Given: DAE  BCF, BAE  DCF
Prove: DAB  BCD F

E
D C
Statement Reason

Ex. Given: ,  A B
Prove:  F

E
D C
Statement Reason

A B
Ex. Given:  ,  F
Prove: DEA  BFC
E
D C
Statement Reason
 A B
Ex. Given: , F
Prove: ABF  CDE
E
D C

Statement Reason

F
Ex. Given: , , , FEB  ECD
Prove: A E B

C
D
Statement Reason

F
Ex. Given: ,
Prove: AEF  CEB A E B

C
D
Statement Reason
 F
Ex. Given: , AEF  GBF
Prove: FEB  FBE A E B G

C
D
Statement Reason