Areas of Plane Figures

8 between Parallel Lines

By studying this lesson you will be able to
identify the theorems on the relationships between the areas of triangles and
parallelograms on the same base and between the same pair of parallel lines,
and solve problems related to them.

Introduction
You have already learnt about various plane figures and how the areas of certain
special plane figures are found. Let us now recall how the areas of triangles and
parallelograms are found.
When finding the areas of triangles and parallelograms, the terms altitude and base
are used. Let us first recall what these terms mean.
Let us consider the given triangle ABC and the parallelogram PQRS.
A
P S
E
N

Q M R
B D C

When finding the area of a triangle, any one of its sides can be considered as the
base. For example, the side BC of the triangle ABC can be considered as the base.
Then AD is the corresponding altitude; that is, the perpendicular dropped from the
vertex A to the side BC.
We know that,
1
area of triangle ABC = BC AD.
2
Similarly, if we consider the side AB to be the base, the corresponding altitude is
CE. Accordingly, we can also write,
1
area of triangle ABC = AB CE.
2
We can similarly find the area of the triangle ABC by taking AC as the base and
drawing the corresponding altitude from the vertex B.
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Now let us consider the parallelogram PQRS. Here too, the area can be found by
considering any one of the sides as the base. If we consider the side QR as the base,
the corresponding altitude is the line segment PM. The length of PM is the distance
between the two parallel straight line segments QR and PS, the side opposite QR.
We know that,
the area of parallelogram PQRS = QR PM.
Similarly, if we consider the side PQ as the base, the corresponding altitude is RN.
Therefore we can also write,
the area of parallelogram PQRS = PQ RN.

Note
The length of the altitude of a triangle or a parallelogram is also often called the
altitude.

To recall what has been learnt earlier regarding finding the areas of parallelograms
and triangles, do the following exercise by applying the above facts.

Review Exercise
1. Complete the given table by using the data in each of the figures given below.

(i) A (ii) (iii)

S Z W X

Y
D B T U

(iv) (v) (vi)

A B E F J N K

D C H I G
M L

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 Figure Base Corresponding Area
Altitude (As a product of
lengths)
(i) Triangle ABD
(ii) Triangle STU
(iii) Triangle WXY
(iv) Rectangle ABCD
(v) Parallelogram EFGH
(v) Parallelogram JKLM

8.1 Parallelograms and triangles on the same base and between

the same pair of parallel lines
Let us first see what is meant by parallelograms and triangles on the same base and
between the same pair of parallel lines. Consider the following figures.
D F C D E C C D
E

A B
A B
Figure (i) A B
Figure (ii) Figure (iii)
Both the parallelograms ABCD and ABEF in figure (i) lie between the pair of
straight
Both the lines AB and DE. What
parallelograms ABCD is meant
and ABEFhere byin the word
figure (i)“between”
lie between is that a pairof
the pair
ofstraight
opposite lines AB and DE. What is meant here by the word “between” is that aand
sides of each of the parallelograms lies on the straight lines AB pair
DE. Further, sides
of opposite the side of AB
eachisof
common to both parallelograms.
the parallelograms In such lines
lies on the straight a situation,
AB and
weDE. sayFurther,
that thethe two parallelograms
side AB is common aretoon theparallelograms.
both same base and between
In such athe same
situation,
pair parallel lines. Here, the common side AB
we say that the two parallelograms are on the same base and between thebase.
of has been considered as the same
Itpair
is clear that corresponding
of parallel lines. Here, theto this common
common side base,
AB has both
beentheconsidered
parallelograms
as thehave
base.
the
It is clear that corresponding to this common base, both the parallelograms two
same altitude. This is equal to the perpendicular distance between the have
parallel
the same lines AB andThis
altitude. DE.is equal to the perpendicular distance between the two
parallel lines AB and DE.
Figure (ii) depicts a parallelogram and a triangle which lie on the same base and
between
Figure (ii) thedepicts
same pair a parallelogram andAB
of parallel lines and DC.
a triangle The parallelogram
which lie on the sameisbaseABCD and
and the triangle
between the same is ABE. The
pair of common
parallel linesbase AB.DC.
AB isand Observe that in this case,
The parallelogram one
is ABCD
side
andof thethetriangle
triangleis lies
ABE.onThe
one common
of the parallel
base islines
AB.while the opposite
Observe vertex
that in this case,lies
one
on theofother
side line. and the opposite vertex lies on each parallel straight lines.
the triangle
Figure
Figure(iii)
(iii)depicts
depictstwo
twotriangles
triangleson
onthe
thesame
samebase
baseand
andbetween
betweenthe
thesame
samepair
pairofof
parallel
parallellines.
lines.The
Thetwo
twotriangles areABC
trianglesare ABCandandABD.
ABD.
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Exercise 8.1
1. Based on the information in the figure,
A K L M N O B
(i) name four parallelograms.
(ii) name the two
parallelograms with the
same base QR which
lie between the pair of
parallel lines AB and CD. C P Q R D

A L M Q
2. Write down all the triangles with
the same base OP that lie
between the pair of parallel
straight lines AQ and CP in the
given figure.
C N O P

A M N K L Q P B
3. In the given figure, the
perpendicular distance between
the pair of parallel straight
h
lines AB and CD is denoted
by h and the base lengths of
the parallelograms by a and C a D
T U R b S
b. Write down the areas of the
parallelograms PQRS, KLSR
and MNUT in terms of these
symbols.

A K P L Q B
4.
The rectangle KLMN and the
parallelogram PQMN in the
given figure lie between the pair
of parallel straight lines AB and
CD. NM = 10 cm and LM = 8 cm .

.
C N M D

^i& Find the area of the rectangle KLMN.

^ii& Find the area of the parallelogram PQMN.
^iii& What is the relationship between the area of the rectangle KLMN and the
parallelogram PQMN ?
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 8.2 The areas of parallelograms on the same base and between
the same pair of parallel lines

Next we look at the relationship between the areas of parallelograms on the

same base and between the same pair of parallel lines. Consider the given
parallelograms.
D F C E

A B P

Let us see whether the areas of the parallelograms ABCD and ABEF are equal.
Observe that,
area of parallelogram ABCD = area of trapezium ABCF + area of triangle AFD
area of parallelogram ABEF = area of trapezium ABCF + area of triangle BEC
Therefore it is clear that, if
the area of triangle AFD = the area of triangle BEC,
then the areas of the two parallelograms will be equal.
In fact, these two triangles are congruent. Therefore their areas are equal. The
congruence of the two triangles under the conditions of SAS can be shown as
follows.
In the two triangles AFD and BEC,
AD = BC (opposite sides of a parallelogram)
AF = BE (opposite sides of a parallelogram)
>

>
>

>

Also, since DAB = CBP (corresponding angles) and FAB = EBP (corresponding
angles), by subtracting these equations we obtain
>

>

DAF = CBE .
Accordingly, the two triangles AFD and BEC are congruent under the conditions
of SAS.
Therefore we obtain,
area of parallelogram ABCD = area of parallelogram ABEF.
We can write this as a theorem as follows.
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Theorem: Parallelograms on the same base and between the same pair of parallel
lines are equal in area.

Now let us obtain an important result using this theorem. You have used the
following formula when finding the area of a parallelogram in previous grades and
in the above exercise.
Area of a parallelogram = Base Perpendicular height
Have you ever thought about how this result was obtained? We can now use the
above theorem to prove this result.
The figure depicts a rectangle ABCD (that is, a parallelogram) and a parallelogram
ABEF on the same base and between the same pair of parallel lines. According to
the above theorem, their areas are equal.
D F C E

A B

We know that,
area of the parallelogram ABEF = Area of the rectangle ABCD
= AB AD
= AB perpendicular distance between the
two parallel lines
= base of the parallelogram perpendicular height
Let us now consider how calculations are done using this theorem.

Example 1
The area of the parallelogram ABEF in the figure is 80 cm2 while AB = 8 cm.
F E D C

A B
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 (i) Name the parallelograms in the figure that lie on the same base and between
the same pair of parallel lines.
(ii) What is the area of the parallelogram ABCD?
(iii) Find the perpendicular distance between the parallel lines AB and FC.
Now let us answer these questions.
(i) ABEF and ABCD.
(ii) Since the parallelograms ABEF and ABCD lie on the same base AB and between
the same pair of parallel lines AB and FC, their areas are equal. Therefore, the
area of ABCD = 80 cm2.
(iii) Let us take the perpendicular distance between the pair of parallel lines as
h centimetres.
Then,
area of ABEF = AB h.
80 = 8 h
.
. . h = 10
.
. . the perpendicular distance between the parallel lines is 10 cm.
Now, by considering an example, let us see how riders are proved using this theorem.
Example 2
A B

R X S

C
D Q P
According to the information in the above figure,
(i) show that ABQD and ABCP are parallelograms.
(ii) show that the parallelograms ABQD and ABCP are of the same area.
^iii& prove that SPC RDQ.
^iv& prove that, area of parallelogram AXQR = area of parallelogram BXPS.
^i& In the quadrilateral ABQD
AB//DQ (given)
AD//BQ (given)
Since a quadrilateral with pairs of opposite sides parallel, is a parallelogram, ABQD
is a parallelogram. Similarly, since AB // PC and AP // BC, we obtain that ABCP is
a parallelogram.
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 ^ii& Since the parallelograms ABQD and ABCP lie on the same base AB and
between the same pair of parallel lines AB and DC, by the above theorem,
their areas are equal.
.
. . area of parallelogram ABQD = area of parallelogram ABCP.

^iii& In the triangles SPC and RDQ in the figure,

>

>
SPC = RDQ (since SP // AD, corresponding angles)
SCP = RQD (since SC // RQ, corresponding angles)
>

>

Further, AB = PC (opposite sides of the parallelogram ABCP)

AB = DQ (opposite sides of the parallelogram ABQD)
Therefore, PC = DQ.
... SPC RDQ. (AAS)

^iv& Area of parallelogram ABQD = area of parallelogram ABCP (proved)

Area of RDQ = area of SPC (since RDQ SPC)
Therefore,
area of ABQD – area of ∆ RDQ = area of ABCP – area of ∆ SPC.
Then, according to the figure,
area of trapezium ABQR = area of trapezium ABSP.
Therefore,
by subtracting the area of the triangle ABX from both sides, we get
area of trapezium – area of ABX = area of trapezium – area of ABX
ABQR ABSP

. . . area of parallelogram AXQR = area of parallelogram BXPS.

Exercise 8.2
P Q T U
1. The figure shows two parallelograms that
lie between the pair of parallel lines PU and
SR. The area of the parallelogram PQRS is
40 cm2. With reasons, write down the area of
the parallelogram TURS. S R

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 A B E F
2. A rectangle ABCD and a parallelogram
CDEF are given in the figure. If
AD = 7 cm and CD = 9 cm, with
reasons, write down the area of the
parallelogram CDEF. D C

3. The figure shows two parallelograms
A B P Q
ABCD and PQRS that lie between
the pair of parallel lines AQ and DR.
It is given that DS = CR.
X
(i) Show that DC = SR.
(ii) Prove that the area of the D S C R
pentagon ABXSD is equal to
the area of the pentagon PQRCX.
(iii) Prove that the area of the trapezium
APSD is equal to the area of the trapezium BQRC.

4. Based on the information in the Q

P
figure,
(i) name two parallelograms which
are equal in area to the area of A
S
the parallelogram PQRS. B R
(ii) name two parallelograms which E
are equal in area to the area of
the parallelogram ADCR. C D
(iii) prove that the area of the
parallelogram PECS is equal to the area of the parallelogram QADE.
D P C R
5. Based on the information in the figure,
prove that the area of triangle ADP is
equal to the area of triangle BRC.

A B
>

6. Construct the parallelogram ABCD such that AB = 6 cm, DAB = 600 and
AD = 5 cm. Construct the rhombus ABEF equal in area to the area of ABCD and
lying on the same side of AB as the parallelogram. State the theorem that you
used for your construction.
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 8.3 The areas of parallelograms and triangles on the same base
and between the same pair of parallel lines
You have used the following formula in previous grades to find the area of a triangle.
1
Area of the triangle = Base Altitude
2
Now we will explain why this formula is valid.
Let us consider the following triangle ABC.
C

A B

Now let us draw a line parallel to AB through the point C, as shown in the figure,
and mark the point D on this line such that ABDC is a parallelogram. In other words
let us mark the intersection point of the line drawn through B parallel to AC and the
line drawn through C parallel to AB, as D.

C D

A B

The area of the triangle ABC is exactly half the area of the parallelogram ABDC.
This is because the diagonals of a parallelogram divide the parallelogram into two
congruent triangles. We learnt this in the lesson on parallelograms in Grade 10.
Therefore,
1
area of triangle ABC = the area of parallelogram ABDC
2
1
= AB perpendicular distance between AB and CD
2

1
= AB perpendicular height
2
We have obtained the familiar formula for the area of a triangle.
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Consider again the result that we observed here;
1
area of triangle ABC = the area of parallelogram ABDC.
2
In section 8.2 of this lesson, we learnt that the areas of parallelograms on the same
base and between the same pair of parallel lines are equal. Therefore, in relation to
the above figure, the area of any parallelogram that lies on the same base AB and
between the same pair of parallel lines AB and CD is equal to the area of ABDC.
Therefore,
1
area of triangle ABC = (area of any parallelogram with base AB lying between
2
the parallel lines AB and CD).

This result is given below as a theorem.

Theorem: If a triangle and a parallelogram lie on the same base and between the
same pair of parallel lines, then the area of the triangle is exactly half
the area of the parallelogram.

Let us now consider how calculations are performed using this theorem.

Example 1
P T Q

S R

The figure illustrates a parallelogram PQRS and a triangle STR on the same base
and between the same pair of parallel lines. The area of the parallelogram PQRS is
60 cm2.
(i) Find the area of the triangle STR. Give reasons for your answer.
(ii) If ST = 6 cm, find the length of the perpendicular RX from R to ST.

(i)The parallelogram PQRS and the triangle STR lie on the same base and
between the same pair of parallel lines. Therefore the area of triangle STR
is half the area of parallelogram PQRS.

. . . area of ∆ STR = 30 cm2

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 1
(ii) Area of ∆ STR = ST RX
2

. . . 30 = 1 6 RX
2
.
. . RX = 10 cm

Example 2
A B

D E C F

G
E is a point on the side DC of the parallelogram ABCD. The straight line drawn
through B parallel to AE, meets DC produced at F. AE produced and BC produced
meet at G.
Prove that,

(i) ABFE is a parallelogram.

(ii) the areas of the parallelograms ABCD and ABFE are equal.
(iii) the area of ACD = the area of BFG.
(i) In the quadrilateral ABFE,
AE // BF (data)
AB // EF (data)
.
. . ABFE is a parallelogram (since pairs of opposite sides are parallel)

(ii) The parallelograms ABCD and ABFE lie on the same base AB and between the
same pair of parallel lines AB and DF.
.
. . according to the theorem,
area of parallelogram ABCD = area of parallelogram ABFE
(iii) The parallelogram ABCD and the triangle ACD lie on the same base DC and
between the same pair of parallel lines AB and DC.
.
. . according to the theorem,
1
the area of parallelogram ABCD = area of triangle ACD.
2
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Similarly,
the parallelogram ABFE and the triangle BFG lie on the same base BF and between
the same pair of parallel lines BF and AG.
Therefore,

1
the area of parallelogram ABFE = area of triangle BFG
2
Since, area of parallelogram ABCD = area of parallelogram ABFE,
1 1
the area of parallelogram ABCD = the area of parallelogram ABFE
2 2
. . . area of ACD = area of BFG

Exercise 8.3

1. The area of the parallelogram ABCD in the figure is 50 cm2.

A P B Q
(i) What is the area of triangle PDC?
(ii) What is the area of triangle DCQ?

D C

2. A B The point P lies on the side DC of the

parallelogram ABCD. The straight line
drawn through B parallel to AP meets
DC produced at Q. Further, AP produced
and BC produced meet at R. Prove that
D P C Q the area of triangle ADR is equal to the
area of triangle BQR.
R

3. A P B In the figure, SQ has been drawn parallel

to the side AB of the parallelogram ABCD,
such that it meets the side AD at S and the
S side BC at Q. Prove that the area of the
Q
quadrilateral PQRS is exactly half the area
of the parallelogram ABCD.
D R C

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4. A P B
P is any point on the side AB of the
parallelogram ABCD. Prove that,
area of + area of = area of
APD BPC DPC
D C
A B Q
5. In the figure, the point P lies on the side
AD of the parallelogram ABCD, and the
P
point Q lies on AB produced. Prove that,
area of CPB = area of CQD.
D C

6. AB//DC and DC >AB in the trapezium

A B
ABCD.
The point E lies on the side CD such that
AB = CE. The point F lies on the side
DE such that the area of the triangle AFE
is equal to the area of the triangle ADF.
Prove that the area of the trapezium ABFD
D F E C is exactly half the area of the trapezium
ABCD.

7. A X B
O is the midpoint of the side BC of the
parallelogram ABCD and X is an arbitrary
O point on AB. Also, XO produced and DC
produced meet at Y.

D C Y

Prove that,
(i) the area of BOX = the area of COY
(ii) the area of trapezium AXYD = the area of parallelogram ABCD.
(iii) the area of trapezium AXYD is twice the area of triangle ADO.

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 8.4 Triangles on the same base and between the same pair of
parallel lines
Now let us consider the two triangles PQR and TQR that lie on the same base QR
and between the same pair of parallel lines AB and CD.
A P T S U B

C Q R D

As discussed in section 8.3 the parallelogram related to the triangle PQR is PQRS,
and the parallelogram related to the triangle TQR is TQRU.
Since the parallelogram related to the triangle PQR is PQRS,
1
area of triangle PQR = the area of parallelogram PQRS.
2
Since the parallelogram related to the triangle TQR is TQRU,

1
area of triangle TQR = the area of parallelogram TQRU.
2

However, since the parallelograms PQRS and TQRU lie on the same base QR and
between the same pair of parallel lines, by the theorem,
area of parallelogram PQRS = area of parallelogram TQRU.
. . . 1 the area of parallelogram PQRS = 1 the area of parallelogram TQRU
2 2

That is, area of triangle PQR = area of triangle TQR.

As stated previously, the areas of the two triangles PQR and TQR which lie on the
same base QR and between the same pair of parallel lines AB and CD are equal in
area.
Triangles which satisfy the above given conditions in this manner are equal in area.
This is stated as a theorem as follows.
Theorem: Triangles on the same base and between the same pair of parallel lines
are equal in area.

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Let us now consider through the following examples how problems are solved
using this theorem.

Example 1

A B

C D

In the given figure, AB//CD.

(i) Name a triangle that has the same area as triangle ACD. Write down the
theorem that your answer is based on.
(ii) If the area of triangle ABC is 30 cm2, find the area of triangle ABD.
(iii) Prove that the area of triangle AOC is equal to the area of triangle BOD.

(i) Triangle BCD.

Triangles on the same base and between the same pair of parallel lines are equal in
area.
(ii) Area of triangle ABD = 30 cm2.
(iii) Area of ACD = Area of BCD. (On the same base CD and AB//CD.)
According to the figure, the triangle COD is common to both these triangles. When
this portion is removed,
area of ACD – area of COD = area of BCD – area of COD
.
. . area of AOC = area of BOD

Example 2
A B
The point P lies on the side BC of the quadrilateral
ABCD. The line drawn though B parallel to AP
P
meets the line drawn through C parallel to DP at D X
X. Prove that the area of triangle ADX is equal to
the area of quadrilateral ABCD. C

Proof: Since the triangles APB and APX lie on the same base AP and between the
same pair of parallel lines AP and BX, according to the theorem,

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 APB = APX 1
Similarly, since DP//CX,
DPC = DPX 2
From 1 + 2 " ABP + DPC = APX + DPX.
Let us add the area of triangle ADP to both sides.
Then, ABP + DPC + ADP = APX + DPX + ADP
. . . area of quadrilateral ABCD = area of the triangle ADX

Exercise 8.4

C
1. The area of triangle ABP which lies between the parallel

lines AB and CD in the figure is 25 cm2. A
C
1.(i)The
What areais of area of ABP
thetriangle which
triangle ABClies? between the parallel
A X
If theAB
(ii)lines andofCD
area in theABX
triangle figure is 25
is 10 cmcm2 2.
, what is the area of
(i)triangle
What isACX ? of triangle ABC ?
the area X P
(ii) Explain
(iii) If the areawithof reasons ABX the
triangle what is 10 cm2, what is
relationship the areathe
between of B
triangle
areas ACX
of the ?
triangles ACX and BPX is. P
(iii) Explain with reasons what the relationship between the B D
areas of the triangles ACX and BPX is.
C D D
2. The two triangles AXC and BXD are equal in area.
Prove that A
2.(i)Inthe figure, DE
thetriangles ABC is drawn
and ABD parallel to theinside
are equal BC of the
area. X
(ii)triangle
AB // CD. ABC, such that it touches the side AB at D and
the side AC at E. A B
D E
(i) Name a triangle which is equal in area to the
triangle BED. A
3. In the figure, DE is drawn parallel to the side BC of the
(ii) Prove that the triangles ABE and ADC are equal
triangle ABC, such that it touches the side AB at D and
in area. B C
the side AC at E.
D E
(i) Name a triangle which is equal in area to the
B
triangle BED. A
3.(ii)
The straight
Prove thatline
the drawn through
triangles ABE the ADCBare
andpoint parallel
equal
to the diagonal AC of the quadrilateral ABCD,
in area. B C
meets the side DC produced at E.
(i) Name a triangle which is equal in area to the E
D B C
triangle ABC. Give reasons for your answer. A
triangle
4. The ABC.
straight Give
line drawnreasons for your
through answer.
the point B parallel
(ii)
to theProve that theAC
diagonal the quadrilateral ABCD
areaofofthe ABCD,is equal to the area of
meets thethe
triangle
side DC ADE. produced at E.
(i) Name a triangle which is equal in area to the D C E
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 triangle ABC. Give reasons for your answer.
(ii) Prove that the area of the quadrilateral ABCD is equal to the area of the
triangle ADE. A B
4. ABCD is a parallelogram. A straight line drawn
from A intersects the side DC at Y and BC
produced at X.
Prove that,
(i) the triangles DYX and AYC are equal in area. D Y C
(ii) the triangles BCY and DYX are equal in area. X

5. The point Y lies on the side BC of the parallelogram ABCD. The side AB produced
and DY produced meet at X. Prove that the area of triangle AYX is equal to the
area of triangle BCX.

6. BC is a fixed straight line segment of length 8 cm. With the aid of a sketch,
describe the locus of the point A such that the area of triangle ABC is 40 cm2.
7. Construct the triangle ABC such that AB = 8 cm, AC = 7 cm and BC = 4 cm.
Construct the triangle PAB which is equal in area to the triangle ABC, with P
lying on the same side of AB as C, and PA = PB.

Miscellaneous Exercise
A B
1. The length of a side of the square ABCD in the figure X 5 cm
is 12 cm. The point P lies on the side BC such that
BP = 5 cm. Find the length of DX. P

D 12 cm C

A B P
2. X is a point on the side BC of the
parallelogram ABCD. The side AB produced
and DX produced meet at P and the side X
DC produced and AX produced meet at Q.
Prove that the area of the triangle PXQ is
exactly half of the area of the parallelogram D C Q
ABCD.

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3. The diagonals of the parallelogram PQRS intersect at O. The point A lies on the
side SR. Find the ratio of the area of the triangle POQ to that of the triangle PAQ.

4. ABCD and ABEF are two parallelograms, unequal in area, drawn on either side
of AB.
Prove that,
(i) DCEF is a parallelogram.
(ii) the area of the parallelogram DCEF is equal to the sum of the areas of the
parallelograms ABCD and ABEF.

5. ABCD is a parallelogram. EF has been drawn parallel to BD such that it intersects

the side AB at E and the side AD at F.
Prove that,
(i) the triangles BEC and DFC are equal in area.
(ii) the triangles AEC and AFC are equal in area.

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