hierarchy of geometry
undefined terms → definitions → postulates/axioms → theorems → corollaries
undefined terms
point, line, and plane (accepted as intuitive ideas; not defined)
line (A and h)
a straight, continuous arrangement of infinitely many points that extends forever in two directions
A is in/on h, h contains A, h passes through A
collinear
on the same line
line segment
two points (called endpoints) and all the points between them that are collinear with the two points
ray
a point on a line (called an endpoint) and all the points of the line that lie on one side of this point
opposite rays
have a common endpoint and form a straight line
two line postulates
a line contains at least two points
through any two points there exists one and only one line
existence and uniqueness
one and only one
ruler postulate
there is a unique measure that represents the difference between two endpoints
line intersection theorem (m, h, and O)
if two lines intersect, then they intersect at exactly one point
m and h intersect in/at O
O is the intersection of m and h
plane
a plane is a flat surface with no depth or boundary; can be named using three or more points on the plane or with a letter (capitalized)
coplanar points
points that are all on one plane
five postulates relating to planes
a plane contains at least three points not all on one line
through any three points, there is at least one plane, and through any three non-collinear points, there is exactly one plane
if two points are on a plane, then the line that contains the points is on that plane
if two planes intersect, then their intersection is a line
a line can exist on an infinite number of planes
describing plane intersection (M, N, and [line] XY)
M and N intersect in [line] XY; [line] XY is the intersection of M and N; [line] XY is in M and N; M and N contain [line] XY
two theorems about planes
through a line and a point not in the line there is exactly one plane
if two lines intersect, then they lie exactly on one plane
betweenness
a point which lies between two other points on a line segment or a line (points are assumed to be collinear)
segment addition postulate
if C is between A and B, then AC + CB = AB
congruent objects
two objects that have the same size and shape are called congruent
definition of congruency
if two objects are congruent, then they have equal measures (bi-conditional)
definition of a midpoint
the midpoint of a segment is the point that divides the segments into two equal or congruent segments (not a bi-conditional; points have not been established as collinear)
definition of a bisector
if a line, ray, line segment, or plane intersects a segment at its midpoint, then it is the bisector of the segment
definition of an angle
an angle is formed by the union of two rays; the union is called its vertex
protractor postulate
informal:
for every angle, there is one and only one real number between 0 and 180 called the degree measure of the angle
formal:
suppose that H is a half-plane determined by [line] OA. then for any real number r such that 0 < r < 180, there is one and only one ray, [ray] OB such that B is in H and m<AOB = r.
definition of adjacent angles
two angles in a plane that have a common vertex, a common side, and no interior points in common are called adjacent angles
angle addition postulate
if B is in the interior of <AOC, then m<AOB + m<BOC = m<AOC
definition of congruent angles
two angles are said to be congruent if and only if they have the same measure. that is, <ABC ≅ <DEF if and only if m<ABC = m<DEF
definition of an angle bisector
a ray OC is a bisector of <AOB if and only if C is in the interior of the angle and <AOC ≅ <COB or m<AOC = m<COB
angle bisector postulate
an angle has one and only one bisector
corollaries
theorems derived from theorems
addition axiom
if a=b and c=d, then a+c=b+d
subtraction axiom
if a=b and c=d, then a-c=b-d
multiplication axiom
if a=b and c=d, then ac=bd
division axiom
if a=b and c≠0, then a/c = b/c
reflexive axiom
any number is equal to itself, or a=a
symmetric axiom
if a=b, then b=a
transitive axiom
if a=b and b=c, then a=c
substitution axiom
if a=b, then a can be replaced by b (and b by a)
properties of congruence
reflexive property, symmetric property, transitive property (not substitution property)
midpoint theorem
if M is the midpoint of [line segment] AB, then AM = ½AB and MB = ½AB
angle bisector theorem
if [ray] BX is the bisector of ∠ABC, then m∠ABX = ½m∠ABC and m∠XBC = ½m∠ABC
definition of supplementary angles
supplementary angles are two angles whose measure have the sum of 180. each angle is called the supplement of the other.
supplement axiom/postulate
if the exterior sides of two adjacent angles are opposite rays, then the angles are supplementary
definition of complementary angles
complementary angles are two angles whose measures have a sum of 90. each angle is called the complement of the other.
definition of vertical angles
vertical angles are two angles such that the sides of one angle are opposite rays to the sides of the other angle. if two lines intersect, then they form two pairs of vertical angles.
vertical angle theorem
vertical angles are congruent