Triangles - Definitions

SAT Questions that focus on Triangles - Definitions require knowledge of the following topics.


Types of Triangles


Scalene Triangle: no congruent sides;
Isosceles Triangle: only two congruent sides;
Equilateral Triangle: three congruent sides.

Right Triangle: one right angle (angle that measures 90º);
Acute Triangle: three acute angles (angles that measure less than 90°);
Obtuse Triangle: one obtuse angle (angle that measures more than 90º).


Height


The height of a triangle is the distance from a vertex to the oposite side. In the following figure, "h" is the height as measured from vertex A to side BC (h is a line segment perpendicular to side BC):


Every triangle has three heights.


Median


Median is a segment joining a vertex to the midpoint of the opposite side. Every triangle has three medians.
In the figure below, "m" is a median that joins vertex A to the midpoint (M) of side BC:



Internal Bisector


An internal bisector is a segment joining a vertex to the opposite side, dividing the internal angle in half.
In the figure below, "b" is an internal bisector that divides angle "A" in two congruent angles "a" (a = A/2):



External Bisector


An external bisector is a segment joining a vertex to the extension of the opposite side, dividing the external angle in half.
In the figure below, "b" is a bisector that divides external angle "A" in two congruent angles:



Congruent Triangles


Two triangles are congruent if, and only if, they have the same three sides and the same three angles.


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