http://www.ck12.

org/geometry/Comparing-Angles-and-Sides-inTriangles/lesson/Comparing-Anglesand-Sides-in-Triangles/r11

Instructions
On one or more sheets of paper...
Complete Practice Exercises # 1-16 at the bottom of the Triangle
Inequality Theorem file.
Number each exercise clearly.
Your response to every exercise must include an explanation. (Hint:
Write your responses as though you were explaining to another student
in this class.)
The assignment name (in this case, Homework 5.6 Part B)

Comparing Angles and Sides in Triangles

What if you were told that a triangle has sides that measure 3, 4, and 5? How could
you determine which of the triangle's angles is largest? The smallest? After
completing this Concept, you'll be able to use triangle theorems to solve problems
like this one.

Guidance
Look at the triangle below. The sides of the triangle are given. Can you determine
which angle is the largest? The largest angle will be opposite 18 because that is the
longest side. Similarly, the smallest angle will be opposite 7, which is the shortest
side.

This idea is actually a theorem: If one side of a triangle is longer than another side,
then the angle opposite the longer side will be larger than the angle opposite the
shorter side.
The converse is also true: If one angle in a triangle is larger than another angle in
that triangle, then the side opposite the larger angle will be longer than the side
opposite the smaller angle.

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http://www.ck12.org/geometry/Comparing-Angles-and-Sides-inTriangles/lesson/Comparing-Anglesand-Sides-in-Triangles/r11

We can extend this idea into two theorems that help us compare sides and angles
in two triangles If we have two congruent triangles
and
, marked
below:

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Therefore, if

, and

, then

Now, lets make

. Would that make
called the SAS Inequality Theorem.

? Yes. This idea is

The SAS Inequality Theorem: If two sides of a triangle are congruent to two sides
of another triangle, but the included angle of one triangle has greater measure than
the included angle of the other triangle, then the third side of the first triangle is
longer than the third side of the second triangle.

If

and

, then

If we know the third sides as opposed to the angles, the opposite idea is also true
and is called the SSS Inequality Theorem.
SSS Inequality Theorem: If two sides of a triangle are congruent to two sides of
another triangle, but the third side of the first triangle is longer than the third side of
the second triangle, then the included angle of the first triangle's two congruent sides
is greater in measure than the included angle of the second triangle's two congruent
sides.

If

and

, then

Example A
List the sides in order, from shortest to longest.

First, find

. From the Triangle Sum Theorem:

is the largest angle, so

is the longest side. The next angle is
so
would be the next longest side.
is the smallest angle, so
shortest side. In order, the answer is:
.

,
is the

Example B
List the angles in order, from largest to smallest.

Just like with the sides, the largest angle is opposite the longest side. The longest
side is
, so the largest angle is
. Next would be
and then
.

Example C
List the sides in order, from least to greatest.

To solve, lets start with

. The missing angle is
. By the theorem
presented in this Concept, the sides, in order from least to greatest are
and
.
For
, the missing angle is
. Again, by the theorem presented in this
Concept, the order of the sides from least to greatest is
, and
.
By the SAS Inequality Theorem, we know that
sides would
.

, so the order of all the

Guided Practice
1. If
is a median of
about
and
?

and

, what can we say

2. List the sides of the two triangles in order, from shortest to longest.

3. Below is isosceles triangle

angles of the triangle and why.

. List everything you can about the sides and

Answers:
1.

is the midpoint of
and we know

, so

by the Reflexive Property

We can use the SSS Inequality Theorem Converse to say

2.There are no congruent sides or angles. Look at each triangle separately.

: The missing angle is
. By the theorem presented in this lesson, the
order of the sides from shortest to longest is
, and
.
is

: The missing angle is

, and
.

Because the longest side in

the sides together in one list:
3.

. The order of the sides from shortest to longest

is the shortest side in
.

, we can put all

because it is given.
because if sides are equal than their opposite angles must be equal..

because
Inequality Theorem.

and because of the SAS Triangle

Practice
For questions 1-3, list the sides in order from shortest to longest.

1.

2.

3.

For questions 4-6, list the angles from largest to smallest.

4.

5.

6.
7. Draw a triangle with sides 3 cm, 4 cm, and 5 cm. The angle measures
are
, and
. Place the angle measures in the appropriate spots.
8. Draw a triangle with angle measures
What is the longest side of this triangle?

and the included side is 8 cm.

9. Draw a triangle with sides 6 cm, 7 cm, and 8 cm. The angle measures
are
, and
. Place the angle measures in the appropriate spots.

10.What conclusions can you draw about ?

11.Compare

and

12.List the sides from shortest to longest.

13.Compare

and

. What can you say about

and