Geometry Terms
No part of math is more confusing than geometry. The main reason being the numerous geometry terms in which students get entangled. Read on to find the most important terms enlisted.
All sections of mathematics are equally troublesome, geometry being the most menacing one of those. The numerous confusing geometry terms and definitions can remind you of your worst nightmares. It cannot be helpful, just to rote learn an entire list, without understanding their meaning. So, this list of geometry terms is not meant for starters. It is meant to be a ready reference for those who have studied geometry earlier. Let's get started.
Point: A point is the most basic geometrical entity, which can be defined as an infinitesimally small location in space. A point is represented by a dot (.) and is named by a capital letter.
Line: A line is the second most basic geometrical figure. There are several definitions of a line, one of which says that 'line is a set of infinite number of adjacent touching points, in which all points are in contact with only two other points'. Another definition says, that a 'line is an infinitesimally long geometrical entity with only one dimension, i.e. length, and no width'. It is the shortest possible distance between two points.
Line Segment: It is a part of a line between two points. The only difference between a line and a line segment is that a line segment has a finite length and does not stretch in two directions infinitesimally.
Ray: A ray can be called half a line. It has an origin point and infinitesimal length on the other side.
Parallel Lines: Lines or line segments may be parallel. Two lines in the same plane are called parallel if they never intersect with each other. Two line segments in the same plane are called parallel if two points anywhere on the line are equidistant from each other.
Angle: When two line segments intersect or have a common end point, then the inclination of one line with the other is called angle and is measured in degrees.
Right Angle: If two lines intersect at an angle of 90o, then the two lines are said to be at right angles.
Acute Angle: If the angle of intersection is less than 90o, then the angle is known as acute angle.
Obtuse Angle: If the angle of intersection is more than 90o, then the angle is known as obtuse angle.
Circle: A circle is a set of points, all of which are equidistant from a given point. This equal distance is known as radius. The distance between the two farthest points of a circle is known as the diameter, which is twice the length of the radius. Another definition of circle is that it is a polygon with infinite sides.
Circumference: The length of the boundary or the border of a circle is known as the circumference. Its value depends on the radius or diameter of the circle and is given by the formula: 2 x pi x radius or pi x diameter. (pi = 22/7 = 3.14 approx.)
Triangle: Triangle is a closed figure having three sides and it is formed by three line segments. It has three angles whose sum is always equal to 180o. Another very important property of a triangle is that the sum of any two sides is always greater than the length of the third side.
Right Angled Triangle: A triangle with one angle measuring 90o while the remaining angles combining to make 90o is called a right angled triangle.
Isosceles Triangle: A triangle with any two sides of equal length is called isosceles triangle. The angles opposite to these equal sides are also equal to each other.
Equilateral Triangle: A triangle with all three sides of the same length is called equilateral. All three angles of an equilateral triangle measure 60o.
Quadrilateral: It is a closed figure having four sides and the sum of the angles made by the sides is always 360o. Parallelogram, rectangle, square, rhombus are examples of quadrilateral.
Parallelogram: It is a quadrilateral with opposite sides being parallel to each other. In a parallelogram, opposite angles are equal and adjacent angles are supplementary (i.e. their sum is 180o).
Rhombus: A parallelogram with all four sides being equal in length.
Rectangle: A parallelogram with all four angles being right angles is called a rectangle.
Square: A square is a rectangle with all sides being of equal lengths. In other words, a parallelogram which is a rectangle as well as a rhombus is called square. (Hope you get that!)
There are about a hundred other geometry terms which are mostly derivatives of the terms discussed above. Once you are thorough with these basic terminologies, it is not difficult to understand the other terms and definitions in geometry.
Point: A point is the most basic geometrical entity, which can be defined as an infinitesimally small location in space. A point is represented by a dot (.) and is named by a capital letter.
Line: A line is the second most basic geometrical figure. There are several definitions of a line, one of which says that 'line is a set of infinite number of adjacent touching points, in which all points are in contact with only two other points'. Another definition says, that a 'line is an infinitesimally long geometrical entity with only one dimension, i.e. length, and no width'. It is the shortest possible distance between two points.
Line Segment: It is a part of a line between two points. The only difference between a line and a line segment is that a line segment has a finite length and does not stretch in two directions infinitesimally.
Ray: A ray can be called half a line. It has an origin point and infinitesimal length on the other side.
Parallel Lines: Lines or line segments may be parallel. Two lines in the same plane are called parallel if they never intersect with each other. Two line segments in the same plane are called parallel if two points anywhere on the line are equidistant from each other.
Angle: When two line segments intersect or have a common end point, then the inclination of one line with the other is called angle and is measured in degrees.
Right Angle: If two lines intersect at an angle of 90o, then the two lines are said to be at right angles.
Acute Angle: If the angle of intersection is less than 90o, then the angle is known as acute angle.
Obtuse Angle: If the angle of intersection is more than 90o, then the angle is known as obtuse angle.
Circle: A circle is a set of points, all of which are equidistant from a given point. This equal distance is known as radius. The distance between the two farthest points of a circle is known as the diameter, which is twice the length of the radius. Another definition of circle is that it is a polygon with infinite sides.
Circumference: The length of the boundary or the border of a circle is known as the circumference. Its value depends on the radius or diameter of the circle and is given by the formula: 2 x pi x radius or pi x diameter. (pi = 22/7 = 3.14 approx.)
Triangle: Triangle is a closed figure having three sides and it is formed by three line segments. It has three angles whose sum is always equal to 180o. Another very important property of a triangle is that the sum of any two sides is always greater than the length of the third side.
Right Angled Triangle: A triangle with one angle measuring 90o while the remaining angles combining to make 90o is called a right angled triangle.
Isosceles Triangle: A triangle with any two sides of equal length is called isosceles triangle. The angles opposite to these equal sides are also equal to each other.
Equilateral Triangle: A triangle with all three sides of the same length is called equilateral. All three angles of an equilateral triangle measure 60o.
Quadrilateral: It is a closed figure having four sides and the sum of the angles made by the sides is always 360o. Parallelogram, rectangle, square, rhombus are examples of quadrilateral.
Parallelogram: It is a quadrilateral with opposite sides being parallel to each other. In a parallelogram, opposite angles are equal and adjacent angles are supplementary (i.e. their sum is 180o).
Rhombus: A parallelogram with all four sides being equal in length.
Rectangle: A parallelogram with all four angles being right angles is called a rectangle.
Square: A square is a rectangle with all sides being of equal lengths. In other words, a parallelogram which is a rectangle as well as a rhombus is called square. (Hope you get that!)
There are about a hundred other geometry terms which are mostly derivatives of the terms discussed above. Once you are thorough with these basic terminologies, it is not difficult to understand the other terms and definitions in geometry.
Like This Article?
Follow:
Post Comment | View Comments