Undefined Terms

Objectives Discussion Activity

Challenge

Prepared by:
Mr. Joel A. Belleza
 Hi there!
my name is Belle

And I am Atom

We are here to help you

Understand the undefined terms
in Geometry
The undefined terms are the
building blocks of geometry.

These are the points, lines

and planes.
Why did they call it undefined
terms?

Because it can be
described but not precisely
defined since these are
just ideas.
 The idea of geometry can be seen
everywhere.
Take for example the box over here.

The corner of the box is an

example of a point.
 A point is like stars in the night sky.
It is a little spec in a large endless sky.
However, unlike stars, geometric
points have no size.
A dot representing a
town in a map is an
even better example
of a point.
 A point is an imaginary object that
indicates a position. It tells you where
something is. It has no size.

A point is represented by a
dot and labeled with a capital
letter. The point below is
referred to as "point A."

•A
Point A
 All the other geometric
objects and shapes you will
The space are made up of
study in this topic are just
infinitely many points;
different collections of
infinitely many locations
points.
The second undefined term is
line. A line is a straight
arrangement of points that
extends forever in opposite
directions.
The horizon line dividing sea and
sky suggests a geometric line.
 The arrows tell us that, unlike
real world lines, geometric lines Some students think that
extend infinitely in the there are only two points on
directions of the arrows. line AB because those are the
only points that can be seen.
n Well, This is not true.

There are an infinite

number of other points
on this line, they just
aren't labeled
A line can be named using two
points on the line represented
by capital letters. It can also be named using a
lower case letter
n

↔ ↔
AB or BA or line n
Points on the same line, like
points A and B, are said to be Can you name a point that is
collinear. non-collinear with point A
and B?
n

A C

Points are collinear if

they lie on the same line
The answer is Point C Point C is non-collinear with
points A and B since it doesn’t
lie on the same line as Points
n A and B.

A C

B
You can refer to the line using
So now this line can also be
any two points labeled on it.
correctly called line JD or line
DJ or any other two letter
combination of the labeled
points.
n

A C
J
Notice that the
order of the letters B
doesn't matter. D
↔ ↔
AB or BA or line n
↔ ↔
JD or DJ
In geometry, it's not enough to
You must also think logically
just rely on common sense and
about how these various
on what you can see in a
geometric objects relate to
drawing.
each other.
n

A C
J
B
D
 For example, it's easy to see
that points A, J, B, and D are
collinear. But what about points
A and C? Are these two points
collinear or non-collinear? The fact is they are collinear

A C
J
B
D
In geometry, points are collinear if it's
possible to make a line pass through The line doesn't have to be
them. drawn. Since it's possible to
draw line AC, those two points
are collinear.
n

A C
J
B
D
 The early geometers thought about
this idea of points being collinear and
recognized a fundamental fact: any This idea often gets expressed
two points are collinear. as the statement: Two points
determine a unique line.
n

A C
J
B
D
Two points determine a
unique line.
The last undefined term in geometry
is a plane. Each face of the box
represents a part of a plane.

A plane is a flat two-

dimensional surface that
extends forever.
 Another example of a part of a
plane is a sheet of paper.
Imagine the paper's flat surface
extending infinitely from all of its
edges and corners. That infinite
flat surface is a plane.
 We name a plane by three non-
collinear points or by a capitalized script
letter

A C
J
B
D
M

For example, the plane represented by

this paper could be called plane CAB or
plane M, but not plane ABD.
Planes are often easier to imagine
The triangular surfaces of a
than they are to represent.
pyramid represent portions
of planes. So do the pages
of a book.
Now it’s time for you to have an Activity.

Which of the following

represents a POINT?

Cover of a book

Top of a box

Side of a blackboard

Tip of a pen
 Which of the following
represents a LINE?

Tip of a pen

Side of a blackboard

Cover of a book

Top of a box
Which of the following
represents a PLANE?

Star in the sky

Edge of a table

Side of a blackboard

Cover of a book
 A L
Which of the following are the
names of the points shown on
the diagram?
C M

• L and • M

A and C
↔ ↔
LM and ML
Which of the following diagram represents:
↔
Two planes M and N have BC in common.

N B Let’s have a challenge!

M M
C

C
B

m C

B
N
 Very Good!
Congratulations!!!

Studying Math is so fun!

These are the resources used for this
topic.

Bernabe, Julieta G. et. Al. Geometry. JTW corporation. 2002.

http://regentsprep.org/Regents/math/geometry/GG1/
undefinedterms.htm

http://www.examiner.com/study-tips-in-national/undefined-
terms-geometry

http://courses.dcs.its.utexas.edu/speedway-files/highschool/
ASKME/shared/template.php?moviePath=../GEO-1A-04344/
flash/unit01/u01tu01undeTerm/
&movieName=u01tu01undeTerm.swf