Triangles: Classifications and

Theorems
Classification of Triangles according to sides

● Equilateral triangle: all sides are congruent

● Isosceles triangle: two sides are congruent

● Scalene triangle: no sides are congruent

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 Triangles: Classifications and
Theorems
Classification of Triangles according to angles

● Acute triangle: a triangle whose interior angles are

all acute angles
● Right triangle: a triangle with one interior right angle
(an angle that measures exactly 90 degrees).
● Obtuse triangle: a triangle with one interior obtuse angle.

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 Triangles: Classifications and
Theorems
Congruent Parts of Congruent Triangles are Congruent (CPCTC) Theorem

If two triangles are congruent, then their corresponding sides and corresponding angles are congruent as well.

- In the figure above, if triangle PQR and triangle XYZ are congruent, then PQ ⩭ XY, QR ⩭ YZ, and
PR ⩭ XZ.
- This also means that ∠PQR ⩭ ∠XYZ, ∠QRP ⩭ ∠YZX, and ∠RPQ ⩭ ∠ZXY

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 Triangles: Classifications and
Theorems
Congruent Parts of Congruent Triangles are Congruent (CPCTC) Theorem Sample Problem

Example: Suppose that triangles PQR and XYZ are congruent. If PQ = 4x + 20 and XY = 2x + 10. What is the value
of x?
Sol:
By CPCTC: PQ is congruent to XY:
4x + 20 = 2x + 10
2x = -10
x = -5

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 Triangles: Classifications and
Theorems
Side-Angle-Side (SAS) Theorem

If two pairs of corresponding sides and the included angles between two triangles are congruent, then
the triangles are congruent.

Example: Since two pairs of corresponding sides (AB and DE, AC and DF) are congruent as well as
their included angles (angle BAC and angle EDF), then triangles ABC and DEF are congruent.

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 Triangles: Classifications and
Theorems
Angle-Side-Angle (ASA) Theorem

If two corresponding angles and their included side (the side located between them) of a
triangle are congruent, then the triangles are congruent.

Example: Since two corresponding angles (angle NMO and QPR, angle NOM and angle QRP) are
congruent as well as their included sides (sides MO and PR), then triangles MNO and PQR are
congruent

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 Triangles: Classifications and
Theorems
Side-Side-Side (SSS) Theorem

If all three pairs of corresponding sides of two triangles are congruent, then the
triangles are congruent.

Example: Since all three pairs of corresponding sides of triangles MNO and PQR are
congruent, then these triangles are congruent.

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 Triangles: Classifications and
Theorems
Similar Triangles

● There are two conditions to state that two triangles are similar:
- Their interior angles are congruent.
- Their sides are proportional.
● To test if the sides are proportional, divide a side of the first triangle by its corresponding
side in the second triangle. Perform the same thing for the remaining two sides of the
first triangle. If the quotients are equal, then the sides are proportional.

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 Triangles: Classifications and
Theorems
Sol: Since the triangles are similar, then their
Similar Triangles Sample Problem sides are proportional

Example: Triangles ABC and DEF are similar. If AB

= 8, DE = 16, and BC = 5, what is the measure of
side EF?

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 Triangles: Classifications and
Theorems
Isosceles Triangle Theorem

In an Isosceles Triangle, the base angles (the angles that are opposite to the congruent
sides) are congruent.

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 Triangles: Classifications and
Theorems
Isosceles Triangle Theorem Sample Problem
If triangle ABC is isosceles such that AB = BC and angle B measures 50 degrees, what is the measure of angle A?
Solution:
Let x be the measure of angle A. This is also the measure of angle C
since the triangle is isosceles.
Note that in a triangle, the sum of the measurement of interior angles
is 180 degrees.
180 = 50 + x + x
180 = 50 + 2x
130 = 2x
x = 65
Hence, the answer is 65 degrees.

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 Triangles: Classifications and
Theorems
Triangle Inequality Theorem

The sum of any two sides of a triangle is always greater than or equal to the third side
- If you are given three sides a, b, and c and you want to test if the measurements of
these sides can form a triangle, see if the sides satisfy the following condition.
a + b > c, a + c > b, b + c > a
- In other words, add two sides and compare the sum of the third one.
Example: Are three segments of length 5, 7, and 10 can form a triangle?
Sol: 5 + 7 = 12 > 10, 5 + 10 = 15 > 7, 7 + 10 = 17 > 5
Since the conditions are all satisfied, then the segments can form a triangle.

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 Triangles: Classifications and
Theorems
Triangle Inequality Theorem: Identifying the range of values of the third
side

Given two sides of a triangle a and b (where a is longer than b), the possible measurements for the
third side is any real number between the range: a - b < c < a + b
Example: Determine the set of all real number x such that 2, 6, and x are measurements of a
triangle.
Sol: a = 6, b = 2, c = x
a-b<x<a+b
6-2<x<6+2
4<x<8
This means that any real number from 4 to 8 can be a possible value of x.

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