This article is about the basic geometric shape. For other uses, see Triangle (disambiguation).

Triangle

A triangle

Edges and vertices 3

Schläfli symbol {3} (for equilateral)

Area various methods;

see below

Internal angle (degrees) 60° (for equilateral)

A triangle is a polygon with three edges and three vertices. It is one of the

basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices A, B, and C is denoted .

In Euclidean geometry any three points, when non-collinear, determine a unique triangle and
simultaneously, a unique plane (i.e. a two-dimensional Euclidean space), in other words, there is
only one plane that contains that triangle and every triangle is contained in some plane. If the
entire geometry is only the Euclidean plane, there is only one plane and all triangles are
contained in it, however, in higher dimensional Euclidean spaces this is no longer true. This
article is about triangles in Euclidean geometry, and, in particular, the Euclidean plane, except
where otherwise noted.

Types of triangle
Euler diagram of types of triangles, using the definition that isosceles triangles have at least 2 equal sides,
i.e. equilateral triangles are isosceles.

By lengths of sides
Triangles can be classified according to the lengths of their sides:

 An equilateral triangle has all sides the same length. An equilateral triangle is also a regular
polygon with all angles measuring 60°.[1]
 An isosceles triangle has two sides of equal length.[note 1][2] An isosceles triangle also has two
angles of the same measure, namely the angles opposite to the two sides of the same
length; this fact is the content of the isosceles triangle theorem, which was known by Euclid.
Some mathematicians define an isosceles triangle to have exactly two equal sides, whereas
others define an isosceles triangle as one with at least two equal sides.[2] The latter definition
would make all equilateral triangles isosceles triangles. The 45–45–90 right triangle, which
appears in the tetrakis square tiling, is isosceles.
 A scalene triangle has all its sides of different lengths.[3] Equivalently, it has all angles of
different measure.

Equilateral Isosceles Scalene

Hatch marks, also called tick marks, are used in diagrams of triangles and other geometric
figures to identify sides of equal lengths. A side can be marked with a pattern of "ticks", short line
segments in the form of tally marks; two sides have equal lengths if they are both marked with
the same pattern. In a triangle, the pattern is usually no more than 3 ticks. An equilateral triangle
has the same pattern on all 3 sides, an isosceles triangle has the same pattern on just 2 sides,
and a scalene triangle has different patterns on all sides since no sides are equal. Similarly,
patterns of 1, 2, or 3 concentric arcs inside the angles are used to indicate equal angles. An
equilateral triangle has the same pattern on all 3 angles, an isosceles triangle has the same
pattern on just 2 angles, and a scalene triangle has different patterns on all angles since no
angles are equal.

By internal angles
Triangles can also be classified according to their internal angles, measured here in degrees.

 A right triangle (or right-angled triangle, formerly called a rectangled triangle) has one of its
interior angles measuring 90° (a right angle). The side opposite to the right angle is
the hypotenuse, the longest side of the triangle. The other two sides are called
the legs or catheti[4] (singular: cathetus) of the triangle. Right triangles obey the Pythagorean
theorem: the sum of the squares of the lengths of the two legs is equal to the square of the
length of the hypotenuse: a2 + b2 = c2, where a and b are the lengths of the legs and c is the
length of the hypotenuse. Special right triangles are right triangles with additional properties
 that make calculations involving them easier. One of the two most famous is the 3–4–5 right
triangle, where 32 + 42 = 52. In this situation, 3, 4, and 5 are a Pythagorean triple. The other
one is an isosceles triangle that has 2 angles that each measure 45 degrees.
 Triangles that do not have an angle measuring 90° are called oblique triangles.
 A triangle with all interior angles measuring less than 90° is an acute triangle or acute-angled
triangle. If c is the length of the longest side, then a2 + b2 > c2, where a and b are the lengths
of the other sides.
 A triangle with one interior angle measuring more than 90° is an obtuse triangle or obtuse-
angled triangle. If c is the length of the longest side, then a2 + b2 < c2, where a and bare the
lengths of the other sides.
 A triangle with an interior angle of 180° (and collinear vertices) is degenerate.
 A right degenerate triangle has collinear vertices, two of which are coincident.
A triangle that has two angles with the same measure also has two sides with the same length,
and therefore it is an isosceles triangle. It follows that in a triangle where all angles have the
same measure, all three sides have the same length, and such a triangle is therefore equilateral.

Right Obtuse Acute

Oblique

Basic facts

A triangle, showing exterior angle d.

Triangles are assumed to be two-dimensional plane figures, unless the context provides
otherwise (see Non-planar triangles, below). In rigorous treatments, a triangle is therefore called
a 2-simplex (see also Polytope). Elementary facts about triangles were presented by Euclid in
books 1–4 of his Elements, around 300 BC.
The measures of the interior angles of the triangle always add up to 180 degrees (same color to point out
they are equal).

The sum of the measures of the interior angles of a triangle in Euclidean space is always 180
degrees.[5] This fact is equivalent to Euclid's parallel postulate. This allows determination of the
measure of the third angle of any triangle given the measure of two angles. An exterior angle of a
triangle is an angle that is a linear pair (and hence supplementary) to an interior angle. The
measure of an exterior angle of a triangle is equal to the sum of the measures of the two interior
angles that are not adjacent to it; this is the exterior angle theorem. The sum of the measures of
the three exterior angles (one for each vertex) of any triangle is 360 degrees.[note 2]

Similarity and congruence

Two triangles are said to be similar if every angle of one triangle has the same measure as the
corresponding angle in the other triangle. The corresponding sides of similar triangles have
lengths that are in the same proportion, and this property is also sufficient to establish similarity.
Some basic theorems about similar triangles are:

 If and only if one pair of internal angles of two triangles have the same measure as each
other, and another pair also have the same measure as each other, the triangles are similar.
 If and only if one pair of corresponding sides of two triangles are in the same proportion as
are another pair of corresponding sides, and their included angles have the same measure,
then the triangles are similar. (The included anglefor any two sides of a polygon is the
internal angle between those two sides.)
 If and only if three pairs of corresponding sides of two triangles are all in the same
proportion, then the triangles are similar.[note 3]
Two triangles that are congruent have exactly the same size and shape:[note 4] all pairs of
corresponding interior angles are equal in measure, and all pairs of corresponding sides have the
same length. (This is a total of six equalities, but three are often sufficient to prove congruence.)
Some individually necessary and sufficient conditions for a pair of triangles to be congruent are:

 SAS Postulate: Two sides in a triangle have the same length as two sides in the other
triangle, and the included angles have the same measure.
 ASA: Two interior angles and the included side in a triangle have the same measure and
length, respectively, as those in the other triangle. (The included side for a pair of angles is
the side that is common to them.)
 SSS: Each side of a triangle has the same length as a corresponding side of the other
triangle.
 AAS: Two angles and a corresponding (non-included) side in a triangle have the same
measure and length, respectively, as those in the other triangle. (This is sometimes referred
to as AAcorrS and then includes ASA above.)
Some individually sufficient conditions are:

 Hypotenuse-Leg (HL) Theorem: The hypotenuse and a leg in a right triangle have the same
length as those in another right triangle. This is also called RHS (right-angle, hypotenuse,
side).
 Hypotenuse-Angle Theorem: The hypotenuse and an acute angle in one right triangle have
the same length and measure, respectively, as those in the other right triangle. This is just a
particular case of the AAS theorem.
An important condition is:

 Side-Side-Angle (or Angle-Side-Side) condition: If two sides and a corresponding non-

included angle of a triangle have the same length and measure, respectively, as those in
another triangle, then this is not sufficient to prove congruence; but if the angle given is
opposite to the longer side of the two sides, then the triangles are congruent. The
Hypotenuse-Leg Theorem is a particular case of this criterion. The Side-Side-Angle condition
does not by itself guarantee that the triangles are congruent because one triangle could be
obtuse-angled and the other acute-angled.
Using right triangles and the concept of similarity, the trigonometric functions sine and cosine can
be defined. These are functions of an angle which are investigated in trigonometry.

Right triangles

The Pythagorean theorem

A central theorem is the Pythagorean theorem, which states in any right triangle, the square of
the length of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the lengths of the two other sides.
If the hypotenuse has length c, and the legs have lengths a and b, then the theorem states that

The converse is true: if the lengths of the sides of a triangle satisfy the above equation, then
the triangle has a right angle opposite side c.
Some other facts about right triangles:

 The acute angles of a right triangle are complementary.

 If the legs of a right triangle have the same length, then the angles opposite those
legs have the same measure. Since these angles are complementary, it follows that
each measures 45 degrees. By the Pythagorean theorem, the length of the
hypotenuse is the length of a leg times √2.
 In a right triangle with acute angles measuring 30 and 60 degrees, the hypotenuse is
twice the length of the shorter side, and the longer side is equal to the length of the
shorter side times √3:

For all triangles, angles and sides are related by the law of cosines and law of
sines (also called the cosine rule and sine rule).
 Existence of a triangle
Condition on the sides
The triangle inequality states that the sum of the lengths of any two sides of a
triangle must be greater than or equal to the length of the third side. That sum can
equal the length of the third side only in the case of a degenerate triangle, one with
collinear vertices. It is not possible for that sum to be less than the length of the third
side. A triangle with three given positive side lengths exists if and only if those side
lengths satisfy the triangle inequality.

Conditions on the angles

Three given angles form a non-degenerate triangle (and indeed an infinitude of
them) if and only if both of these conditions hold: (a) each of the angles is positive,
and (b) the angles sum to 180°. If degenerate triangles are permitted, angles of 0°
are permitted.
Trigonometric conditions
Three positive angles α, β, and γ, each of them less than 180°, are the angles of a
triangle if and only if any one of the following conditions holds:
the last equality applying only if none of the angles is 90° (so the tangent function's value is
always finite).

Points, lines, and circles associated with a triangle

There are thousands of different constructions that find a special point associated with (and often
inside) a triangle, satisfying some unique property: see the article Encyclopedia of Triangle
Centers for a catalogue of them. Often they are constructed by finding three lines associated in a
symmetrical way with the three sides (or vertices) and then proving that the three lines meet in a
single point: an important tool for proving the existence of these is Ceva's theorem, which gives a
criterion for determining when three such lines are concurrent. Similarly, lines associated with a
triangle are often constructed by proving that three symmetrically constructed points
are collinear: here Menelaus' theorem gives a useful general criterion. In this section just a few of
the most commonly encountered constructions are explained.

The circumcenter is the center of a circle passing through the three vertices of the triangle.

A perpendicular bisector of a side of a triangle is a straight line passing through the midpoint of
the side and being perpendicular to it, i.e. forming a right angle with it. The three perpendicular
bisectors meet in a single point, the triangle's circumcenter, usually denoted by O; this point is
the center of the circumcircle, the circle passing through all three vertices. The diameter of this
circle, called the circumdiameter, can be found from the law of sines stated above. The
circumcircle's radius is called the circumradius.
Thales' theorem implies that if the circumcenter is located on one side of the triangle, then the
opposite angle is a right one. If the circumcenter is located inside the triangle, then the triangle is
acute; if the circumcenter is located outside the triangle, then the triangle is obtuse.

The intersection of the altitudes is the orthocenter.

An altitude of a triangle is a straight line through a vertex and perpendicular to (i.e. forming a right
angle with) the opposite side. This opposite side is called the base of the altitude, and the point
where the altitude intersects the base (or its extension) is called the foot of the altitude. The
length of the altitude is the distance between the base and the vertex. The three altitudes
intersect in a single point, called the orthocenter of the triangle, usually denoted by H. The
orthocenter lies inside the triangle if and only if the triangle is acute.

The intersection of the angle bisectors is the center of the incircle.

An angle bisector of a triangle is a straight line through a vertex which cuts the corresponding
angle in half. The three angle bisectors intersect in a single point, the incenter, usually denoted
by I, the center of the triangle's incircle. The incircle is the circle which lies inside the triangle and
touches all three sides. Its radius is called the inradius. There are three other important circles,
the excircles; they lie outside the triangle and touch one side as well as the extensions of the
other two. The centers of the in- and excircles form an orthocentric system.

A median of a triangle is a straight line through a vertex and the midpoint of the opposite side,
and divides the triangle into two equal areas. The three medians intersect in a single point, the
triangle's centroid or geometric barycenter, usually denoted by G. The centroid of a rigid
triangular object (cut out of a thin sheet of uniform density) is also its center of mass: the object
can be balanced on its centroid in a uniform gravitational field. The centroid cuts every median in
the ratio 2:1, i.e. the distance between a vertex and the centroid is twice the distance between
the centroid and the midpoint of the opposite side.

Nine-point circle demonstrates a symmetry where six points lie on the edge of the triangle.

The midpoints of the three sides and the feet of the three altitudes all lie on a single circle, the
triangle's nine-point circle. The remaining three points for which it is named are the midpoints of
the portion of altitude between the vertices and the orthocenter. The radius of the nine-point
circle is half that of the circumcircle. It touches the incircle (at the Feuerbach point) and the
three excircles.

Euler's line is a straight line through the centroid (orange), orthocenter (blue), circumcenter (green) and
center of the nine-point circle (red).

The centroid (yellow), orthocenter (blue), circumcenter (green) and center of the nine-point circle
(red point) all lie on a single line, known as Euler's line (red line). The center of the nine-point
circle lies at the midpoint between the orthocenter and the circumcenter, and the distance
between the centroid and the circumcenter is half that between the centroid and the orthocenter.
The center of the incircle is not in general located on Euler's line.
If one reflects a median in the angle bisector that passes through the same vertex, one obtains
a symmedian. The three symmedians intersect in a single point, the symmedian point of the
triangle.

Computing the sides and angles

There are various standard methods for calculating the length of a side or the measure of an
angle. Certain methods are suited to calculating values in a right-angled triangle; more complex
methods may be required in other situations.

Trigonometric ratios in right triangles

Main article: Trigonometric functions
A right triangle always includes a 90° (π/2 radians) angle, here with label C. Angles A and B may vary.
Trigonometric functions specify the relationships among side lengths and interior angles of a right triangle.

In right triangles, the trigonometric ratios of sine, cosine and tangent can be used to find
unknown angles and the lengths of unknown sides. The sides of the triangle are known as
follows:

 The hypotenuse is the side opposite the right angle, or defined as the longest side of a right-
angled triangle, in this case h.
 The opposite side is the side opposite to the angle we are interested in, in this case a.
 The adjacent side is the side that is in contact with the angle we are interested in and the
right angle, hence its name. In this case the adjacent side is b.
Sine, cosine and tangent
The sine of an angle is the ratio of the length of the opposite side to the length of the hypotenuse.
In our case

This ratio does not depend on the particular right triangle chosen, as long as it contains the
angle A, since all those triangles are similar.
The cosine of an angle is the ratio of the length of the adjacent side to the length of the
hypotenuse. In our case

The tangent of an angle is the ratio of the length of the opposite side to the length of the
adjacent side. In our case

The acronym "SOH-CAH-TOA" is a useful mnemonic for these ratios.

Inverse functions
The inverse trigonometric functions can be used to calculate the internal angles for a
right angled triangle with the length of any two sides.
Arcsin can be used to calculate an angle from the length of the opposite side and the
length of the hypotenuse.
Arccos can be used to calculate an angle from the length of the adjacent side
and the length of the hypotenuse.

Arctan can be used to calculate an angle from the length of the opposite
side and the length of the adjacent side.

In introductory geometry and trigonometry courses, the notation sin−1,

cos−1, etc., are often used in place of arcsin, arccos, etc. However, the
arcsin, arccos, etc., notation is standard in higher mathematics where
trigonometric functions are commonly raised to powers, as this avoids
confusion between multiplicative inverse and compositional inverse.

Sine, cosine and tangent rules

Main articles: Law of sines, Law of cosines, and Law of tangents

A triangle with sides of length a, b and c and angles of α, β and γ respectively.

The law of sines, or sine rule,[8] states that the ratio of the length of a
side to the sine of its corresponding opposite angle is constant, that is

This ratio is equal to the diameter of the circumscribed circle of the

given triangle. Another interpretation of this theorem is that every
triangle with angles α, β and γ is similar to a triangle with side
lengths equal to sin α, sin β and sin γ. This triangle can be
constructed by first constructing a circle of diameter 1, and
inscribing in it two of the angles of the triangle. The length of the
sides of that triangle will be sin α, sin β and sin γ. The side whose
length is sin α is opposite to the angle whose measure is α, etc.
The law of cosines, or cosine rule, connects the length of an
unknown side of a triangle to the length of the other sides and the
angle opposite to the unknown side.[8] As per the law:
For a triangle with length of sides a, b, c and angles of α, β, γ
respectively, given two known lengths of a triangle a and b, and the
angle between the two known sides γ (or the angle opposite to the
unknown side c), to calculate the third side c, the following formula
can be used:
If the lengths of all three sides of any triangle are
known the three angles can be calculated:

The law of tangents, or tangent rule, can

be used to find a side or an angle when
two sides and an angle or two angles and
a side are known. It states that:[9]

Solution of triangles
Main article: Solution of triangles

"Solution of triangles" is the

main trigonometric problem: to find
missing characteristics of a triangle
(three angles, the lengths of the three
sides etc.) when at least three of these
characteristics are given. The triangle
can be located on a plane or on
a sphere. This problem often occurs in
various trigonometric applications,
such
as geodesy, astronomy, construction,
navigation etc.

Computing the area of

a triangle

The area of a triangle can be demonstrated

as half of the area of a parallelogram which
has the same base length and height.

Calculating the area T of a triangle is

an elementary problem encountered
often in many different situations. The
best known and simplest formula is:
where b is the length of the base
of the triangle, and h is the height
or altitude of the triangle. The term
"base" denotes any side, and
"height" denotes the length of a
perpendicular from the vertex
opposite the side onto the line
containing the side itself. In 499
CE Aryabhata, a
great mathematician-
astronomer from the classical age
of Indian mathematics and Indian
astronomy, used this method in
the Aryabhatiya (section 2.6).
Although simple, this formula is
only useful if the height can be
readily found, which is not always
the case. For example, the
surveyor of a triangular field might
find it relatively easy to measure
the length of each side, but
relatively difficult to construct a
'height'. Various methods may be
used in practice, depending on
what is known about the triangle.
The following is a selection of
frequently used formulae for the
area of a triangle.[10]

Using trigonometry

Applying trigonometry to find the

altitude h.

The height of a triangle can be

found through the application
of trigonometry.
Knowing SAS: Using the labels in
the image on the right, the altitude

is h = a sin . Substituting this

in the formula derived above,

the area of the triangle can be
expressed as:
(where α is the interior angle
at A, β is the interior angle

at B, is the interior angle

at C and c is the line AB).
Furthermore, since sin α = sin

(π − α) = sin (β + ), and
similarly for the other two
angles:

Knowing AAS:

and analogously if the

known side is a or c.
Knowing ASA:[11]

and analogously if
the known side
is b or c.

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Heron's
formula
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sides. By Heron's
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