Geometry

for
Senior Mathematics

Preliminary Mathematics

Geometry

page 1

Basic Assumptions

Angle

Point

An angle is the union of two rays with a common

origin.

A point is an undefined entity with the following

characteristics:
A point has no size (it is zero dimensional)
A point marks a position on the plane

The measure of the angle at a point is 360.

Line
A line is an undefined entity with the following
characteristics:
A line extends infinitely in both directions (it
is one dimensional)
A line has no thickness

Plane
A plane is an undefined entity with the following
characteristics:
It extends infinitely in all directions (it is two
dimensional)
It has no thickness
It is flat
Two intersecting lines meet at a point.
Only one line goes through two distinct points.
Parallel lines do not intersect.
Perpendicular lines meet in four right angles.

Definitions:
Collinear Points

360

Straight Angle
A line is straight. An angle around any point on the
line is the same no matter which side it is
measured.
x
x

x x 360 x 180
Thus, a straight angle is 180

Perpendicular Bisector
The perpendicular bisector of an interval cuts the
interval at right angles.
(LM bisects ON at I so OI = IN and LIO = 90)

Collinear points lie on the same straight line.

Ray
A ray is a subset of a line, starting at a point on the
line and containing all the points on the line in only
one direction.
The end point of the ray is called its origin.

Concurrent Lines
Concurrent lines pass through the same point.

N
I
M

Angle Bisector
The bisector of an angle cuts the angle in half.
(WY bisects XYZ so XYW = WYZ)
X
W

Producing an Interval
Producing an interval means extending it.
(UV is produced to H)
U

Preliminary Mathematics

Geometry

page 2

Notation
A point is indicated by a capital letter.
(A, B, C, D, E, F, G, W, X, Y, and Z are points)

A line is indicated by using the names of two or more points on

the line. (AB is a line; it could also be called BA.)
A line interval is indicated by using the names of the two end
points.
D
(CD, EF, WZ etc. are all intervals; DC, FE etc. are alternative
names.)
An angle is indicated by using the name of the vertex with two other points
from either arm of the angle with the vertex in the middle.
( EFG, ZWY etc. are all angles; GFE, YWZ are alternative
names.)

A triangle is indicated by naming the three vertices of the triangle in any

order. The symbol, , is used to refer to a triangle.
( EFG is a triangle; alternative names are: FGE, GFE.)

Y
W
A quadrilateral is indicated by naming the four vertices in order going
around the quadrilateral.
(WYXZ is a quadrilateral; an alternative name is ZXYW.)

The // symbol means is parallel to.

(PQ // RS)
The
(RS

symbol means is perpendicular to.

JK)

S
J

R
K

The

symbol means is congruent to.

( PQR

WXY)
A

The ||| symbol means is similar to.

( PQR |||

ABC)

B
Q

C
R

Preliminary Mathematics

Geometry

page 3

Preliminary Mathematics

Geometry

page 4

Angle Relationships
Adjacent angles on a straight line are supplementary.

x + y = 180

x y

Angles in a right angle add to 90

x + y = 90

Vertically opposite angles are equal.

x

Angles at a point add to 360.

Corresponding angles on parallel lines are equal.
(These angles form an F shape.)

w + x + y + z = 360

x
y

x=y
x

Alternate angles on parallel lines are equal.

(These angles form a Z shape.)
Co-interior angles on parallel are supplementary.
(These angles form a C shape.)

x=y

x=y

y
x
y

x + y = 180

The angle sum of a triangle is 180.

The exterior angle of a triangle is equal to the sum of the
two interior opposite angles.

x + y + z = 180

y
z

x=y+z

The base angles in an isosceles triangle are equal.

All angles in an equilateral triangle are 60.

x=y+z

x = 60

x
x

The angle sum of a quadrilateral is 360.

Interior angle sum of a polygon with n sides is 180(n 2).

z
u

x + y + z + w = 360

u + v + w + x + y + z = 180 x 4
w

Exterior angle sum of any polygon is 3600.

y
z

x + y + z + w = 360

Geometry

Preliminary Mathematics

page 5

Triangles
Types of Triangles
Classifying by sides

Classifying by angles

Scalene Triangle No sides equal

Isosceles
Triangle
Equilateral
Triangle

Two sides equal

All sides equal

Obtuse
Angle

Acute angled
Triangle

All angles are

acute

Right angled
Triangle

One angles is a
right angle

Obtuse angled
Triangle

One angle is an
obtuse angle

Theorem of Pythagoras
In a right triangle, the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides.

c
b
a

Congruent Triangles
Two triangles are congruent if
three sides of one triangle are equal to
three sides of the other triangle.
(SSS)

two sides and the included angle of one

triangle are equal to two sides and the
included angle of the other triangle.
(SAS)
two angles and one side of a triangle
are equal to two angles and the matching
side of the other triangle.
(AAS)
the hypotenuse and a second side of
one right-angled triangle are equal to the
hypotenuse and a second side of the other
right-angled triangle.
(RHS)

Geometry

Preliminary Mathematics

page 6

Similar Triangles
Two triangles are similar if
three angles of one triangle are equal to three angles of the
other triangle.
(Equiangular)

three sides of one triangle are in proportion with the three sides
of the other triangle.

A
AB
XY

BC
YZ
CA
ZX

two sides of one triangle are in proportion with two sides of

another triangle and their included angles are equal.

A
AB
XY

AC
XZ

Ratio of Intercepts
When two or more transversals cut a series of parallel lines, the ratio of their intercepts is equal.
A
B
C
Proof:

P
Q
R

AB PQ XY
AB PQ XY

and
etc.
BC QR YZ
AC PR XZ

Let three parallel lines be cut by two transversals, ABC and PQR.
Let X and Y lie on BQ and CR respectively such that PX // QY // ABC.
P
A
Q

B
X

C
Y

By construction, ABXP and BCYQ are parallelograms.

Thus, AB = PX and BC = QY (opposite sides of a parallelogram are equal).
In PQX , QRY
PQX = QRY (corr. s on parallel lines BQ and CR)
XPQ = YQR (corr. s on parallel lines BQ and CR)
PXQ = QYR ( sum of )
PQX ||| QRY (equiangular)

PQ
QR

PX
QY
(corr. sides in proportion in
similar s)
PX = AB & QY = BC (opp. sides of
parallelogram)

AB
BC

PQ
QR

Geometry

Preliminary Mathematics

page 7

Special Quadrilaterals
Definitions & Properties
Name

Definition

Diagram

Properties

Parallelogram A quadrilateral
with opposite sides
parallel

opposite sides are equal

opposite angles are equal
the diagonals bisect each other

Rhombus

A parallelogram
with a pair of
adjacent sides
equal

Rectangle

A parallelogram
with one right
angle

all the properties of a parallelogram

all angles are right angles
the diagonal are equal

Square

A rectangle with a
pair of adjacent
sides equal

all the properties of a rectangle and rhombus

Kite

A quadrilateral
with two pair of
adjacent sides
equal

the diagonals are perpendicular

the diagonal joining the vertices on the equal
sides bisects the angled formed by these sides

Trapezium

A quadrilateral
with one pair of
parallel sides

all the properties of a parallelogram

all sides are equal
the diagonals are perpendicular
the diagonals bisect the angles the pass through

the diagonals make angles of 45 with the sides

Summary of Properties
properties

parallelogram

rhombus

rectangle

square

both pairs of opposite sides are equal

both pairs of opposite angles are equal

the diagonals bisect each other

all sides are equal

the diagonals are perpendicular

diagonals bisect the angles the pass through

all angles are right angles

the diagonals are equal

Geometry

Preliminary Mathematics

page 8

Tests for quadrilaterals

Parallelogram

A quadrilateral is a parallelogram if any one of the following is true:

both pairs of opposite sides are equal
both pairs of opposite angles are equal
two sides are both parallel and equal
the diagonals bisect each other

Rhombus

A quadrilateral is a rhombus if any one of the following is true:

all sides are equal
the diagonals bisect each other at right angles

Rectangle

A quadrilateral is a rectangle if any one of the following is true:

all the angles are right angles
the diagonals are equal and bisect each other

Square

A quadrilateral is a square if:

it is a rhombus and a rectangle

Areas of Flat Shapes

RECTANGLE
A LB

PARALLELOGRAM

A bh

TRIANGLE

A bh
1
2

x
y

TRAPEZIUM
A 12 (a b)h

h
b

RHOMBUS
or
KITE
A 12 xy

CIRCLE
A r2

Geometry

Preliminary Mathematics

page 9

Solid Shapes
Triangular Prism

Rectangular prism

A3

A2

A1

A
H

A3

A1

A2

(sloping surface)

L
SA = 2A1 + 2A2 +2A3
V LBH

SA = 2A + A1 + A2 +A3
V AH

Cylinder
r
h

2r
Curved surface of the cylinder

A 2 rh

The circumference of the cylinder is equal to the length of the

rerectangle.
The height of the cylinder is equal to the height of the rectangle.
Surface Area
Open Cylinder (pipe):

SA 2 rh

Cylinder open one end:

SA r 2 2 rh

Closed cylinder:

SA 2 r 2 2 rh
2 r (r h)

Volume
V AH
r 2h

Cone
Surface Area
Curved surface area = rs
s

SA r 2 rs
r (r s)

Volume
V 13 AH
13 r 2 h