We have already discussed about polygons in the Polygon and its Types chapter. There we learnt that polygon is a closed curve, which is made up of only line segments.
Triangle is such one type of polygon which has three sides or line segments. It is a polygon with least number of sides, in other words, a polygon with less than three sides does not exist.
Triangle is a closed figure which is formed by joining three line segments. It has 3 sides, 3 vertices and 3 angles.
Triangle is denoted by \(\triangle\), a delta symbol.
Lets, learn about triangle with the following figure.
So, this is a triangle whose name is written as \(\triangle ABC\), where \(\triangle \) is a symbol of triangle and ABC is the name of triangle, which always includes three vertices of triangle. We can use any three vertices in any order to represent a triangle.
For example, ABC or BAC or CAB or ACB. Therefore, the triangle can also be written as \(\triangle BAC\) or \(\triangle CAB\) or \(\triangle ACB\).
As you know that triangle has three sides always. These sides are also called the line segments.
So, in \(\triangle ABC\), line segments AB, BC and CA are sides of the \(\triangle ABC\). These three sides of a triangle are written as \(\overline{AB}\), \(\overline{BC}\) and \(\overline{CA}\).
Vertex of a triangle is that point where any two sides of a triangle meet out or intersect.
In the \(\triangle ABC\) in above figure, sides AB and AC meet at point A. So, A is vertex of \(\triangle ABC\).
Similarly, sides BC and AB meet at point B. So B is a vertex of \(\triangle ABC\).
Also, sides AC and BC meet at point C. So C is a vertex of \(\triangle ABC\).
Therefore, A, B and C are the three vertices of \(\triangle ABC\).
Angles are formed at vertex of a triangle. It is a measurement of how slanted two lines are to each other. The angles are measured in degrees units.
Let’s understand angles in a triangle \(\triangle ABC\) from the above figure.
As we already discussed above that \(\triangle ABC\) has three vertices A, B and C.
Therefore, we can say angles are formed at vertices A, B and C. Angles are written as \(\angle ABC\), \(\angle BAC\) and \(\angle ACB\) or in a short form as \(\angle B\), \(\angle A\) and \(\angle C\) respectively.
In other words, we can say:
\(\angle ABC\) or \(\angle B\) is formed at vertex B of \(\triangle ABC\).
\(\angle BAC\) or \(\angle A\) is formed at vertex A of \(\triangle ABC\).
\(\angle ACB\) or \(\angle C\) is formed at vertex C of \(\triangle ABC\).
Triangle has many types depending upon the length of its sides.
A triangle is said to be equilateral triangle if all sides of a triangle are of equal length.
\(\triangle ABC\) is equilateral triangle because AB = BC = CA, where AB is length of side AB, BC is length of side BC and CA is length of side CA.
A triangle is said to be Isosceles triangle if any two sides of triangle are of equal length.
\(\triangle ABC\) is Isosceles triangle because AB = AC.
A triangle is said to be scalene triangle if all sides of triangle are of unequal length.
\(\triangle ABC\) is Scalene triangle because AB \(\neq\) BC \(\neq\) AC.
Triangle has many types depending upon the length of its angles.
A triangle is said to be acute angled triangle if each angle of a triangle is acute. Acute angle is that angle which is less than \(90^o\).
So, the \(\triangle ABC\) in figure is an acute angled triangle because all angles are less than \(90^o\). That is, \(\angle A\), \(\angle B\) and \(\angle C\) are all less than \(90^o\).
A triangle is said to be right angles triangle if one of its angle is right angle. Right angle is that angle whose measure is \(90^o\).
So, the \(\triangle ABC\) in figure is a right angled triangle because \(\angle C\) is equal to \(90^o\).
A triangle is said to be obtuse angled triangle if one of its angles is obtuse angle. Obtuse angle is that angle which is greater than \(90^o\).
So, the \(\triangle ABC\) in figure is an obtuse angled triangle because \(\angle C\) is greater than \(90^o\).
Triangle is a plane and closed figure which is formed by three line segments.
There are 3 sides in a triangle.
There are 3 angles in a triangle.
There are three types of a triangle according to its sides.
1. Equilateral triangle
2. Isosceles triangle
3. Scalene triangle
There are three types of a triangle according to its angles.
1. Right angled triangle
2. Obtuse angle triangle
3. Acute angle triangle
Sum of three angles of a triangle is equal to 1800.
Solution
In isosceles \(\triangle ABC\)
AB = AC
∴ \(\angle B\) = \(\angle C\) ( ∵ base angles are equal )
\(\angle C\) = 300
In \(\triangle ABC\),
\(\angle A\) + \(\angle B\) + \(\angle C\) = 1800
\(\angle A\) + 300 + 300 = 1800
\(\angle A\) + 600 = 1800
\(\angle A\) = 1800 - 600
\(\angle A\) = 1200
Solution
In right angled triangle \(\triangle ABC\)
\(\angle A\) + \(\angle B\) + \(\angle C\) = 1800
\(\angle A\) + 900 + 300 = 1800
\(\angle A\) + 1200 = 1800
\(\angle A\) = 1800- 1200
\(\angle A\) = 600
Solution
In triangle \(\triangle ABC\)
\(\angle A\) + \(\angle B\) + \(\angle C\) = 1800
500 + 600 + \(\angle C\)= 1800
1100 + \(\angle C\)= 1800
\(\angle C\) = 1800- 1100
\(\angle C\) = 700
Solution
Let the angles be x, 2x and 3x
In triangle, sum of three angles is 1800.
∴ \(\angle A\) + \(\angle B\) + \(\angle C\) = 1800
x + 2x + 3x = 1800
6x = 1800
x = \(\frac{180}{6}\)
x = 300
∴ the three angles are:
x = 300
2x = 2 x 300 = 600
3x = 3 x 300 = 900
∴ the three angles are 300, 600 and 900