Maths (/maths/) > Math Article (/maths/articles/) > Triangles (/maths/triangles/)

Triangles

In Geometry, a triangle is a three-sided polygon that consists of three edges and

three vertices. The most important property of a triangle is that the sum of the internal
angles of a triangle is equal to 180 degrees. This property is called angle sum property
of triangle (https://byjus.com/maths/intro-angle-sum-triangle/).

If ABC is a triangle, then it is denoted as ∆ABC, where A, B and C are the vertices of the
triangle. A triangle is a two-dimensional shape, in Euclidean geometry
(https://byjus.com/maths/euclidean-geometry/), which is seen as three non-
collinear points in a unique plane.

Table of contents:

Definition

Angles

Properties

Types
Scalene Triangle

Isosceles Triangle

Equilateral Triangle

Acute Angle Triangle

 Right Angle Triangle

Obtuse Angle Triangle

Perimeter

Area

Heron’s Formula

Solved Examples

Video Lesson

FAQs

Below given is a triangle having three sides and three edges, which are numbered as
0,1,2.

Definition
As we discussed in the introduction, a triangle is a type of polygon, which has three
sides, and the two sides are joined end to end is called the vertex of the triangle. An
angle is formed between two sides. This is one of the important parts of geometry.
 Some major concepts, such as Pythagoras theorem
(https://byjus.com/maths/pythagoras-theorem/) and trigonometry, are dependent
on triangle properties. A triangle has different types based on its angles and sides.

Shape of Triangle
Triangle is a closed two-dimensional shape. It is a three-sided polygon. All sides are
made of straight lines. The point where two straight lines join is the vertex. Hence, the
triangle has three vertices. Each vertex forms an angle.

Angles of Triangle
There are three angles in a triangle. These angles are formed by two sides of the
triangle, which meets at a common point, known as the vertex. The sum of all three
interior angles is equal to 180 degrees.

If we extend the side length outwards, then it forms an exterior angle. The sum of
consecutive interior and exterior angles of a triangle is supplementary.

Let us say, ∠1, ∠2 and ∠3 are the interior angles of a triangle. When we extend the sides
of the triangle in the outward direction, then the three exterior angles formed are ∠4,
∠5 and ∠6, which are consecutive to ∠1, ∠2 and ∠3, respectively.
:
 Hence,

∠1 + ∠4 = 180° ……(i)

∠2 + ∠5 = 180° …..(ii)

∠3 + ∠6 = 180° …..(iii)

If we add the above three equations, we get;

∠1+∠2+∠3+∠4+∠5+∠6 = 180° + 180° + 180°

Now, by angle sum property we know,

∠1+∠2+∠3 = 180°

Therefore,

180 + ∠4+∠5+∠6 = 180° + 180° + 180°

∠4+∠5+∠6 = 360°

This proves that the sum of the exterior angles of a triangle is equal to 360 degrees.

Properties
Each and every shape in Maths has some properties which distinguish them from
each other. Let us discuss here some of the properties of triangles.

1. A triangle has three sides and three angles.

2. The sum of the angles of a triangle is always 180 degrees.

3. The exterior angles of a triangle always add up to 360 degrees.

4. The sum of consecutive interior and exterior angle is supplementary.

5. The sum of the lengths of any two sides of a triangle is greater than the length of
the third side. Similarly, the difference between the lengths of any two sides of a
triangle is less than the length of the third side.

6. The shortest side is always opposite the smallest interior angle. Similarly, the
longest side is always opposite the largest interior angle.

Also, read:
:
 Types Of Triangles (https://byjus.com/maths/types-of-triangles/)

Properties Of Triangle (https://byjus.com/maths/properties-of-triangle/)

Congruence Of Triangles (https://byjus.com/maths/congruence-of-

triangles/)

Pythagoras Theorem (https://byjus.com/maths/pythagoras-theorem/)

Triangle Formula (https://byjus.com/triangle-formula/)

Triangles Class 9 (https://byjus.com/maths/triangles-class-9/)

Triangles For Class 10 (https://byjus.com/maths/triangles-for-class-10/)

Types
On the basis of length of the sides, triangles are classified into three categories:

1. Scalene Triangle

2. Isosceles Triangle

3. Equilateral Triangle

On the basis of measurement of the angles, triangles are classified into three
categories:

1. Acute Angle Triangle

2. Right Angle Triangle

3. Obtuse Angle Triangle

Scalene Triangle
:
 A scalene triangle is a type of triangle, in which all the three sides have different side
measures. Due to this, the three angles are also different from each other.

@Byius.com

Isosceles Triangle
In an isosceles triangle, two sides have equal length. The two angles opposite to the
two equal sides are also equal to each other.

Equilateral Triangle
An equilateral triangle has all three sides equal to each other. Due to this all the
internal angles are of equal degrees, i.e. each of the angles is 60°
:
 Acute Angled Triangle
An acute triangle has all of its angles less than 90°.

Right Angled Triangle

In a right triangle, one of the angles is equal to 90° or right angle.
:
 Obtuse Angled Triangle
An obtuse triangle has any of its one angles more than 90°.

Perimeter of Triangle
A perimeter of a triangle is defined as the total length of the outer boundary of the
triangle. Or we can say, the perimeter of the triangle is equal to the sum of all its three
sides. The unit of the perimeter is same as the unit of sides of the triangle.

Perimeter = Sum of All Sides

:
 If ABC is a triangle, where AB, BC and AC are the lengths of its sides, then the perimeter
of ABC is given by:

Perimeter = AB+BC+AC

Area of a Triangle
The area of a triangle (https://byjus.com/maths/area-of-a-triangle/) is the region
occupied by the triangle in 2d space. The area for different triangles varies from each
other depending on their dimensions. We can calculate the area if we know the base
length and the height of a triangle. It is measured in square units.

Suppose a triangle with base ‘B’ and height ‘H’ is given to us, then, the area of a
triangle is given by-

Formula:

Area of triangle = Half of Product of Base and Height

Area = 1/2 × Base × Height

Example
:
 Question- Find the area of a triangle having base equal to 9 cm and height equal to 6
cm.

Solution- We know that Area = 1/2 × Base × Height

= 1/2 × 9 × 6 cm2

= 27 cm2

Area of Triangle Using Heron’s Formula

In case, if the height of a triangle is not given, we cannot be able to use the above
formula to find the area of a triangle.

Therefore, Heron’s formula is used to calculate the area of a triangle, if all the sides
lengths are known.

First, we need to calculate the semi perimeter (s).

s = (a+b+c)/2, (where a,b,c are the three sides of a triangle)

Now Area is given by; A = √[s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)]

Solved Examples
Question 1: If ABC is a triangle where AB = 3cm, BC=5cm and AC = 4cm, then find its
perimeter.

Solution: Given, ABC is a triangle.

AB = 3cm

BC = 5cm

AC = 4cm

As we know by the formula,

Perimeter = Sum of all three sides

P = AB + BC + AC

P = 3+5+4

P = 12cm
:
 Question 2: Find the area of a triangle having sides 5,6 and 7 units length.

Solution- Using Heron’s formula to find the area of a triangle-

Semiperimeter (s) = (a+b+c)/2

s = (5 + 6 +7)/2

s=9

Now Area of a triangle = √[s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)]

=√[9(9-5)(9-6)(9-7)]

=√ [9 × 4 × 3 × 2]

=√ [3 × 3 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 2]

=√ [32 × 22 × 3 × 2]

= 6√6 square units.

Triangles: Introduction

7,38,760
Geometry is all about shapes like squares, circles, rectangles, triangles and so on.
Among all the shapes that we have listed here, triangles seem to be fun and different.
Triangle is a shape that is made up of three lines and three angles. Watch this video to
know how triangle is different from other shapes and see how you can learn and
:
 remember different types of triangles easily from the video. We see triangles
everywhere. If we somehow manage to bring three lines together, we can see a
triangle is formed. There are different types of triangles – equilateral triangles,
isosceles triangles, scalene triangles and so on. The names of these triangles don’t
even sound English. Do you know how these triangles got these names? Watch this
video to know the trivia behind triangles and learn their properties in the simplest way.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs on Triangles

Q1 What are triangles?

A triangle is a three-sided polygon, which has three vertices. The three sides are
connected with each other end to end at a point, which forms the angles of the
triangle. The sum of all three angles of the triangle is equal to 180 degrees.

Q2 How many types of triangles are there in Maths?

There are basically six types of triangles. They are:

Scalene Triangles
Isosceles triangles
Equilateral triangles
Acute triangles
Obtuse triangles
Right triangles

Q3 What are the properties of triangles?

Sum of angles of the triangle is equal to 180 degrees.

Exterior angles of a triangle add up to 360 degrees.
Shortest side is always opposite the smallest angle of a triangle.

Q4 What is the perimeter and area of a triangle?

The perimeter is the length of the outer boundary of the triangle and area is the
region occupied by it in a two-dimensional space.

Q5 What is the formula for area and perimeter of a triangle?

The perimeter of triangle = Sum of all three sides

Area = ½ (Product of base and height of a triangle)
:
 Q6 What is scalene, isosceles and equilateral triangle?

Scalene, isosceles and equilateral triangle are the types of triangles which differ
from each other based on their side-length.
If all the three sides are different in length, then its scalene triangle.
If any two sides are equal in length, then it is an isosceles triangle.
If all three sides are equal in length, then it is an equilateral triangle.

Q7 What is the difference between acute triangle, obtuse triangle and right
triangle?

An acute triangle has all its angles less than 90 degrees.

An obtuse triangle has any one of its angle greater than 90 degrees.
A right triangle has exactly one angle equal to 90 degrees.

Test your knowledge on Triangles

Put your understanding of this concept to test

by answering a few MCQs. Click ‘Start Quiz’ to
begin!

Select the correct answer and click on the “Finish” button

Check your score and answers at the end of the quiz
:
 Start Quiz

MATHS Related Links

Swipe left
Area Of Acute (https://byjus.com/ma
(https://byjus.com/mat
A Angle ths/acute-angle-
hs/area-of-a-triangle/)
Triangle Triangle triangle/)

Triangle
Scalene (https://byjus.com/math (https://byjus.com/mat
Inequalit
Triangle s/scalene-triangle/) hs/triangle-inequality/)
y

Obtuse (https://byjus.com/ma
Isosceles (https://byjus.com/mat
Angled ths/obtuse-angled-
Triangle hs/isosceles-triangle/)
Triangle triangle/)

Angle (https://byjus.com/math Similar

(https://byjus.com/mat
Sum s/angle-sum-property- Triangle
hs/similar-triangles/)
Property triangle/) s

Right (https://byjus.com/mat Pascal's (https://byjus.com/

Angled hs/right-angle- Triangle maths/pascals-
Triangle triangle/) Formula triangle/)

CBSE Sample Papers

CBSE Sample Papers Class 8 Maths

CBSE Sample Papers Class 9 Maths

:
 CBSE Sample Papers Class 9 Maths

CBSE Sample Papers Class 10 Maths

CBSE Sample Papers Class 11 Maths

CBSE Sample Papers Class 12 Maths

CBSE Previous Year Question Papers

CBSE Previous Year Question Papers Class 12 Maths

CBSE Previous Year Question Papers Class 10 Maths

ICSE Sample Papers

ICSE Sample Papers Class 8 Maths

ICSE Sample Papers Class 9 Maths

ICSE Sample Papers Class 10 Maths

ISC Sample Papers Class 11 Maths

:
 ISC Sample Papers Class 12 Maths

ICSE Previous Year Question Papers

ICSE Previous Year Question Papers Class 10

ISC Previous Year Question Papers Class 12 Maths

BYJU'S Tuition Centre for Class 4 to 10

Class 10 Tuition Centre

Class 9 Tuition Centre

Class 8 Tuition Centre

Class 7 Tuition Centre

Class 6 Tuition Centre

Class 5 Tuition Centre

:
 Class 4 Tuition Centre

Join BYJU'S Learning Program

Name

Mobile Number Send OTP

City

Grade/Exam

Email Address

Submit

Comments
Leave a Comment
Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published. Required fields are marked
*
*

Mobile Number Send OTP

Type your message or doubt here...

:
 Post My Comment

COURSES EXAMS

CBSE (/cbse/) CAT Exam (/cat/exam-info/)

ICSE (/icse/) CAT 2023 (/cat/cat-2023/)

CAT (/cat/) GATE Exam (/gate/gate-exam/)

IAS (/ias/) GATE 2024 (/gate/gate-2024/)

JEE (/jee/) IAS Exam (/ias-exam/)

NEET (/neet/) UPSC Exam (/free-ias-prep/upsc-

exam/)
Commerce (/commerce/)
UPSC Syllabus (/ias/upsc-syllabus/)
JEE Main (/jee/jee-main/)
UPSC 2023 (/free-ias-prep/upsc-
NCERT (/ncert/)
2023/)
JEE Advanced (/jee-advanced/)
Bank Exam (/bank-exam/)
UPSC Prelims 2022 Question Paper (/free-ias-
Government Exams (/govt-exams/)
prep/upsc-prelims-2022-question-papers-pdf/)
Education News (/news/)
UPSC Prelims 2022 Answer Key (/free-ias-prep/upsc-
prelims-answer-key-2022/)

IAS Coaching (/ias-coaching/)

CLASSES

CBSE Sample Papers (/cbse/cbse-sample-papers/) Kids Learning (/kids-learning/)

CBSE Question Papers (/cbse-study-material/cbse- Class 1st - 3rd (/disney-byjus-early-

previous-year-question-paper/) learn/)

Class 4th - 5th (/class-4-5/)

Class 6th - 10th (/class-6-10/)

Class 11th - 12th (/class-11-12/)

BYJU'S Tuition Centre (/btc/)

EXAM PREPARATION COMPANY

Free CAT Prep (/free-cat-prep/) About Us (/about-us/)

Free IAS Prep (/free-ias-prep/) Contact Us (/contact-us/)

:
 Maths (/maths/) Contact our Financial Partners
(https://byjus.com/our-financial-
Physics (/physics/)
Chemistry (/chemistry/) partners/)

Biology (/biology/) Investors (/our-investors/)

JEE 2024 (/jee/jee-2024/) Compliance (/compliance/)

JEE Advanced 2023 Question Paper with Answers Careers (/careers-at-byjus/)

(/jee/jee-advanced-2023-question-paper/)
CIRP (/cirp/)
JEE Main Mock Test (/jee/jee-main-mock-test/)
BYJU'S in Media (/press/)
JEE Main 2024 Question Papers with Answers (/jee/jee-
Social Initiative - Education for All
main-2024-question-papers/)
(/educationforall/)
JEE Main 2023 Question Papers with Answers (/jee/jee-
BYJU'S APP (/byjus-the-learning-
main-2023-question-papers/)
app/)
JEE Advanced 2022 Question Paper with Answers
FAQ (/faq/)
(/jee/jee-advanced-2022-question-paper/)
Support (/customer-care/)
NEET 2023 Question Paper (/neet/neet-2023-question-
paper/) Students Stories - The Learning Tree
(https://blog.byjus.com/the-learning-
NEET 2023 Question Paper Analysis (/neet/neet-2023-
tree/)
question-paper-analysis/)
Faces of BYJU'S – Life at BYJU'S
NEET 2022 Answer Key (/neet/neet-2022-answer-key/)
(https://blog.byjus.com/life-at-
byjus/)
RESOURCES Blog (https://blog.byjus.com/)
CAT College Predictor (/free-cat-prep/cat-college- BYJU'S Give (/give/)
predictor/)

Worksheets (/worksheets/)

BYJU'S Answer (/question-answer/)

DSSL (/about-dssl/)

Home Tuition (/home-tuition/)

All Products (https://shop.byjus.com)

Calculators (/calculators/)

Formulas (/formulas/)

FREE TEXTBOOK SOLUTIONS STATE BOARDS

(/textbook-solutions/) Maharashtra (/msbshse/)

NCERT Solutions (/ncert-solutions/)
Gujarat (/gseb/)
NCERT Exemplar (/ncert-exemplar/)
Tamil Nadu (/tn-board/)
NCERT Solutions for Class 6 (/ncert-solutions-class-6/)
Karnataka (/kseeb/)
NCERT Solutions for Class 7 (/ncert-solutions-class-7/)
Kerala (/kbpe/)
:
 Kerala (/kbpe/)
NCERT Solutions for Class 8 (/ncert-solutions-class-8/)
Andhra Pradesh (/ap-board/)
NCERT Solutions for Class 9 (/ncert-solutions-class-9/)
Telangana (/telangana-board/)
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 (/ncert-solutions-class-10/)
NCERT Solutions for Class 11 (/ncert-solutions-class-11/) Uttar Pradesh (/upmsp/)

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English (/ncert-solutions- Bihar (/bihar-board/)

class-11-english/)
Rajasthan (/rajasthan-board/)
NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English (/ncert-solutions-
Madhya Pradesh (/mp-board/)
class-12-english/)
West Bengal (/west-bengal-board/)
NCERT Solutions for Class 12 (/ncert-solutions-class-12/)

RD Sharma Solutions (/rd-sharma-solutions/)

RD Sharma Class 10 Solutions (/rd-sharma-class-10-

solutions/)

ICSE Selina Solutions (/icse/selina-solutions/)

FOLLOW US

(https://www.facebook.com/byjuslearningapp/) (https://in.linkedin.com/company/byjus)

Disclaimer (/disclaimer/) Privacy Policy (/tnc_app/#privacydesc)

Terms of Services (/tnc_app/#tncdesc) Sitemap (/sitemap.xml)

© 2024, BYJU'S. All rights reserved.

: