Classifying Triangles Portland OR

Triangles can be classified either according to their sides or according to their angles. All of each may be of different or the same sizes; any two sides or angles may be of the same size; there may be one distinctive angle.

The types of triangles classified by their sides are the following:

• Equilateral triangle: A triangle with all three sides equal in measure. In Figure 1 , the slash marks indicate equal measure.
  
  

  Figure 1 Equilateral triangle.

• Isosceles triangle: A triangle in which at least two sides have equal measure (Figure 2 ).
  
  

  Figure 2 Isosceles triangles.

• Scalene triangle: A triangle with all three sides of different measures (Figure 3 ).
  
  

  Figure 3 Scalene triangle.

The types of triangles classified by their angles include the following:

• Right triangle: A triangle that has a right angle in its interior (Figure 4 ).
  
  

  Figure 4 Right triangle.

• Obtuse triangle: A triangle having an obtuse angle (greater than 90° but less than 180°) in its interior. Figure 5 shows an obtuse triangle.
  
  

  Figure 5 Obtuse triangle.

• Acute triangle: A triangle having all acute angles (less than 90°) in its interior (Figure 6 ).
  
  

  Figure 6 Acute triangle.

• Equiangular triangle: A triangle having all angles of equal measure (Figure 7 ).
  
  

  Figure 7 Equiangular triangle.

Because the sum of all the angles of a triangle is 180°, the following theorem is easily shown.

Theorem 27: Each angle of an equiangular triangle has a measure of 60°.

Cliffs Notes Online