Basic Geometry : Basic Geometry

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Basic Geometry

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Example Questions

Example Question #1541 : Basic Geometry

Lines

Refer to the above figure. 

True or false: \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{DA}\) and \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{AD}\) comprise a pair of opposite rays.

Possible Answers:

True

False

Correct answer:

False

Explanation:

Two rays are opposite rays, by definition, if 

(1) they have the same endpoint, and

(2) their union is a line.

The first letter in the name of a ray always refers to the endpoint of the ray. Therefore,  \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{DA}\) has its endpoint at \(\displaystyle D\) and \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{AD}\) has its endpoint at \(\displaystyle A\). The two rays are not opposite rays.

Example Question #1541 : Basic Geometry

Lines

Refer to the above figure. 

True or false: \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{AB}\) and \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{AC}\) comprise a pair of opposite rays.

Possible Answers:

True

False

Correct answer:

False

Explanation:

The first letter in the name of a ray refers to its endpoint; the second refers to the name of any other point on the ray. \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{AB}\) and \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{AC}\) are rays that have endpoint \(\displaystyle A\) and pass through \(\displaystyle B\) and \(\displaystyle C\), respectively. Those rays are indicated below in red and green, respectively.

Lines 1

As it turns out, the two rays are one and the same.

Example Question #1541 : Basic Geometry

Lines

Refer to the above figure. 

True or false: \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{EC}\) and \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{EF}\) comprise a pair of opposite rays.

Possible Answers:

True

False

Correct answer:

True

Explanation:

 

Two rays are opposite rays, by definition, if 

(1) they have the same endpoint, and

(2) their union is a line.

The first letter in the name of a ray refers to its endpoint; the second refers to the name of any other point on the ray. \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{EC}\) and \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{EF}\) both have endpoint \(\displaystyle E\), so the first criterion is met. \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{EC}\) passes through point \(\displaystyle C\) and \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{EF}\) passes through point \(\displaystyle F\)\(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{EC}\) and \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{EF}\) are indicated below in green and red, respectively:

Lines 1

The union of the two rays is a line. Both criteria are met, so the rays are indeed opposite.

Example Question #1542 : Basic Geometry

Lines

Refer to the above diagram.

True or false: \(\displaystyle A\)\(\displaystyle B\), and \(\displaystyle E\) are collinear points.

Possible Answers:

True

False

Correct answer:

False

Explanation:

Three points are collinear if there is a single line that passes through all three. In the diagram below, it can be seen that the line that passes through \(\displaystyle A\) and \(\displaystyle B\) does not pass through \(\displaystyle E\).

 Lines 2

 

Therefore, the three points are not collinear.

Example Question #1543 : Basic Geometry

Lines

Refer to the above diagram. 

True or false: \(\displaystyle C\)\(\displaystyle E\), and \(\displaystyle F\) are collinear points.

Possible Answers:

True

False

Correct answer:

True

Explanation:

Three points are collinear if there is a single line that passes through all three. In the diagram below, it can be seen that such a line exists.

Lines 2

Example Question #11 : How To Find A Ray

Lines

True or false: The plane containing the above figure can be called Plane \(\displaystyle EDF\).

Possible Answers:

False

True

Correct answer:

True

Explanation:

A plane can be named after any three points on the plane that are not on the same line. \(\displaystyle E\)\(\displaystyle D\), and \(\displaystyle F\) do not appear on the same line; for example, as can be seen below, the line that passes through \(\displaystyle E\) and \(\displaystyle F\) does not pass through \(\displaystyle D\).

Lines 2

Plane \(\displaystyle EDF\) is a valid name for the plane that includes this figure.

Example Question #1541 : Basic Geometry

Lines

Refer to the above diagram. 

True or false: Quadrilateral \(\displaystyle BEFD\) can also be called Quadrilateral \(\displaystyle EDFB\).

Possible Answers:

True

False

Correct answer:

False

Explanation:

A quadrilateral is named after its four vertices in consecutive order, going clockwise or counterclockwise. Quadrilateral \(\displaystyle BEFD\) is the figure in red, below:

Lines 1

\(\displaystyle E\)\(\displaystyle D\)\(\displaystyle F\), and \(\displaystyle B\) are not a clockwise or counterclockwise ordering of the vertices, so Quadrilateral \(\displaystyle EDFB\) is not a valid name for the quadrilateral.

Example Question #1541 : Basic Geometry

Lines

Refer to the above diagram:

True or false: \(\displaystyle \overleftrightarrow{CF}\) may also called \(\displaystyle \overleftrightarrow{DF}\).

Possible Answers:

True

False

Correct answer:

False

Explanation:

A line can be named after any two points it passes through. The line \(\displaystyle \overleftrightarrow{CF}\) is indicated in green below.

Lines 2

The line does not pass through \(\displaystyle D\), so \(\displaystyle D\) cannot be part of the name of the line. Specifically, \(\displaystyle \overleftrightarrow{DF}\) is not a valid name.

Example Question #1542 : Basic Geometry

Parellel

Examine the diagram. Which of these conditions does not prove that  \(\displaystyle m \parallel n\) ?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle l \parallel m\) and \(\displaystyle l \parallel n\) 

\(\displaystyle \angle1 \cong \angle 5\)

\(\displaystyle \angle3 \cong \angle 4\)

\(\displaystyle m \angle1 + m \angle 2 = 180\)

Any of these statements can be used to prove that \(\displaystyle m \parallel n\).

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \angle1 \cong \angle 5\)

Explanation:

If \(\displaystyle l \parallel m\) and \(\displaystyle l \parallel n\) , then \(\displaystyle m \parallel n\), since two lines parallel to the same line are parallel to each other.

If \(\displaystyle m \angle1 + m \angle 2 = 180\), then \(\displaystyle m \parallel n\), since two same-side interior angles formed by transversal \(\displaystyle t\) are supplementary.

If \(\displaystyle \angle3 \cong \angle 4\), then \(\displaystyle m \parallel n\), since two alternate interior angles formed by transversal \(\displaystyle u\) are congruent.

However, \(\displaystyle \angle1 \cong \angle 5\) regardless of whether \(\displaystyle m\) and \(\displaystyle n\) are parallel; they are vertical angles, and by the Vertical Angles Theorem, they must be congruent.

Example Question #2 : How To Find An Angle Of A Line

An isosceles triangle has an interior angle that measures \(\displaystyle 120^{\circ }\). What are the measures of its other two angles?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 120^{\circ},120^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 60^{\circ},60^{\circ}\)

\(\displaystyle 30^{\circ},120^{\circ}\)

 \(\displaystyle 30^{\circ},30^{\circ}\)

This triangle cannot exist.

Correct answer:

 \(\displaystyle 30^{\circ},30^{\circ}\)

Explanation:

By the Isosceles Triangle Theorem, two interior angles must be congruent. However, since a triangle cannot have two obtuse interior angles, the two missing angles must be the ones that are congruent. Since the total angle measure of a triangle is \(\displaystyle 180^{\circ }\) , each of the missing angles measures \(\displaystyle \frac{180-120}{2} =30^{\circ }\).

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