Basic geometry formulas

A quadrilateral is a four-sided polygon. A parallelogram, a rectangle, a square, a rhombus, and a trapezoid are
all quadrilaterals.

A circle is a plane figure in which all points are the same distance from the center of the circle. A diameter of a
circle is a line segment across the circle through the center. A radius of a circle is a line segment from the center
of the circle to a point on the circle.

Diameter Radius

The perimeter of a plane geometric figure is a measure of the distance around the figure. The distance around a
circle is called the circumference. Area is the amount of surface in a region. Volume is a measure of the amount
of space inside a figure in space. The surface area of a solid is the total area on the surface of the solid.

When calculating perimeter of composite figures Be Careful!!!!! In most cases, when calculating the perimeter
of a composite figure, you have to deduct one of the sides in your formulas. If you don’t, you’ll end up
calculating the same side.

Essential Rules

Triangle Sum of the measures of the interior angles = 180o

Sum of an interior and corresponding exterior angle = 180o
Rules to determine congruence: SSS Rule, SAS Rule, ASA Rule

Perimeter Triangle: P=a+b+c

Rectangle: P = 2L + 2W
Square: P = 4s
Circle: C = πd or C = 2πr

1
Area Triangle: A= bh
2
Rectangle: A = LW
Square: A = s2
Circle: A = πr2
Parallelogram: A = bh
1
Trapezoid A = h (b1 + b2)
2

Volume Rectangular solid: V = LWH

Cube: V = s3
4
Sphere: V = πr3
3
Right circular cylinder: V = πr2h
1
Right circular cone: V = πr2h
3
1
Regular pyramid: V = s2 h
3

Saved C: Basic Geometry Formulas (Microsoft Word)

Surface Area

Rectangular solid: SA = 2LW + 2LH + 2WH

Cube: SA = 6s2
Sphere: SA = 4 πr2
Right circular cylinder: SA = 2 πr2 + 2 πrh
Right circular cone: SA = πr2 + πrl
Regular pyramid: SA = s2 + 2sl
Trapezoid SA = (b1 + b2)h + pH (H = length of the longest base)
Pythagorean Theorem

c
a

It can be used to find the length of the sides of a triangle and the distance or height between two points. If a and
b are the legs of a right triangle and c is the length of the hypotenuse, then a2 + b2 = c2

Principal Square Root Property

If r2 = s, then r = s , and r is called the square root of s.

Similar Triangles
The ratios of corresponding sides are equal. The ratio of corresponding heights is equal to the ratio of
corresponding sides.
D B E
4 5
2

< 1 = < 4 and < 3 = < 5 because they are alternate interior angles

1 3
A B

Circle
The measure of an arc equals the measure of the central angle.
Arc length = measure of central angle × circumference
360o
Measure of central angle = arc length × 360o
circumference
A

B C The central angle is < ABC. The arc is AC

Saved C: Basic Geometry Formulas (Microsoft Word)