← SSAT® Upper Level

Geometry: Lines, Angles and Triangles

Parallel and perpendicular lines, the Pythagorean theorem, and the right, isosceles and equilateral triangle properties E3n names by name.

9 topics · 37 questions

Each topic is a path, not a menu: work down it in order and every question builds on the one above. Click any of them to watch the answer draw itself.

Angles, Complements, Supplements and Vertical Angles

  1. How it worksHow do vertical angles come out equal every single time two straight lines cross?
  2. Worked exampleFind the missing angle when three angles sitting on a straight line measure 47, x and 68 degrees.
  3. Worked exampleFind the complement and the supplement of a 34 degree angle.
  4. Common mistakeWhy doesn't an angle get bigger when you draw its two rays twice as long?
Your turneasy1 of 3
Three angles sit side by side on a straight line and measure 47, x and 72 degrees. What is x?

Parallel Lines Cut by a Transversal

  1. How it worksHow do corresponding and alternate interior angles line up when a transversal cuts two parallels?
  2. Worked exampleFind all eight angles when a transversal meets two parallel lines at 63 degrees.
  3. Common mistakeWhy doesn't the rule about equal alternate interior angles survive when the two lines are not parallel?
  4. Going furtherWhat happens to those angle pairs when the transversal crosses both lines at a right angle?
Your turneasy1 of 3
A transversal meets two parallel lines, making an angle of 114 degrees with the first. What is the co-interior angle beside it on the second line?

Perpendicular Lines and Right Angles

  1. How it worksHow does a perpendicular bisector cut a segment in half and square with it at the same moment?
  2. Worked exampleFind the distance from the point (3, 7) straight down to the horizontal line y = 2.
  3. Going furtherWhat does being perpendicular look like on a coordinate grid once you compare the two slopes?
Your turneasy1 of 3
What is the distance from the point (3, 22) straight down to the horizontal line y = 2?

Triangle Angle Sum and Exterior Angles

  1. How it worksHow does tearing the three corners off a paper triangle and lining them up form a straight line?
  2. Worked exampleFind the third angle of a triangle whose other two measure 52 and 79 degrees.
  3. Worked exampleFind the exterior angle of a triangle whose two remote interior angles are 35 and 60 degrees.
  4. Common mistakeWhy isn't a triangle with sides of 2, 3 and 9 possible when those numbers look perfectly ordinary?
Your turneasy1 of 3
Two angles of a triangle measure 52 and 89 degrees. What is the third?

Isosceles and Equilateral Triangles

  1. How it worksHow does an equilateral triangle end up with three 60 degree angles out of pure symmetry?
  2. Common mistakeWhy isn't every triangle with two equal angles automatically equilateral?
  3. Worked exampleFind the base angles of an isosceles triangle whose apex angle measures 36 degrees.
  4. Worked exampleFind the other two angles of an isosceles triangle that has one angle of 100 degrees.
  5. Going furtherWhat happens to an isosceles triangle when you drop a height from the apex to the base?
Your turneasy1 of 3
An isosceles triangle has an apex angle of 104 degrees. What does each base angle measure?

The Pythagorean Theorem

  1. How it worksHow do the two small squares on the legs pour perfectly into the big square on the hypotenuse?
  2. Worked exampleFind the hypotenuse of a right triangle whose legs measure 9 and 12.
  3. Worked exampleFind the missing leg of a right triangle with hypotenuse 26 and one leg of 10.
  4. Common mistakeWhy isn't the relation between a squared, b squared and c squared usable without a right angle?
  5. Going furtherWhat happens to the theorem when you build semicircles on the three sides instead of squares?
Your turneasy1 of 3
A right triangle has legs of 12 and b. Write an expression, in terms of b, for the hypotenuse.

Pythagorean Triples and Scaling Them Up

  1. How it worksHow does scaling a 3-4-5 triangle up by 7 keep it a right triangle with whole number sides?
  2. Worked exampleFind the hypotenuse for legs of 15 and 20 by spotting the triple hiding inside them.
  3. Common mistakeWhy doesn't adding 1 to each side of a 3-4-5 triangle leave it a right triangle?
  4. Worked exampleFind the third side when a right triangle already has sides of 24 and 26.
Your turneasy1 of 3
A right triangle has legs of 7 times k and 14 times k. Write an expression, in terms of k, for its hypotenuse.

45-45-90 and 30-60-90 Triangles

  1. How it worksHow does cutting an equilateral triangle down the middle create the 30-60-90 side ratios?
  2. Worked exampleFind the diagonal of a square whose side measures 7.
  3. Worked exampleFind both legs of a 30-60-90 triangle whose hypotenuse is 10.
  4. Going furtherWhat changes about the 45-45-90 ratio when you are handed the hypotenuse rather than a leg?
Your turneasy1 of 3
A rectangle has sides of s and 5 times s. Write an expression, in terms of s, for the length of its diagonal.

Similar Triangles and Scale Factor

  1. How it worksHow does a scale factor of 3 triple every length while multiplying the area by 9?
  2. Common mistakeWhy doesn't doubling every side of a triangle simply double the area inside it?
  3. Worked exampleFind x when a triangle with sides 6 and 10 is similar to one with matching sides 9 and x.
  4. Worked exampleWalk me through using a 12 foot shadow cast by a 6 foot person to find a nearby tree's height.
Your turneasy1 of 3
A triangle with sides 7 and 12 is similar to one whose matching sides are s and x. Write an expression for x, in terms of s.

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