Geometry Abbreviations at SBHS

1. Symbols can be used in the abbreviation if they read correctly.

e.g.  or for angle but NOT || for parallel e.g. “AB and CD are || lines” is incorrect.
2. Conventional abbreviations are allowed.
e.g. ext. int. opp. quad. Pythag.
However abbreviations of the type (i) v.o.a. for “vertically opposite angles”
(ii) ||-gram for “parallelogram”
are NOT acceptable.
3. If parallel lines are labelled in the diagram, use their names in the reason.
e.g. co-interior angles, AB || PQ
NOT co-interior angles in parallel lines
4. Begin algebraic statements with a sum or a product if the theorem
refers to a sum or a product.
e.g. x + 110 = 180 (angle sum of triangle)
NOT x = 180 – 110 (angle sum of triangle)
5. Theorems can be abbreviated by using the distinctive words found only
within their enunciation, i.e. the particular words used in their statement
e.g. The square of a tangent to a circle from an external point is equal to the product of the
intercepts of any secant from the point.
This can be abbreviated as:square of the tangent OR
intersecting tangent and secant OR
tangent and secant
Theorem Abbreviation
1. Angles on a straight line are supplementary.
straight line OR straight angle

2. Vertically opposite angles are equal. vertically opposite angles

3. The sum of angles at a point is 360. angles at a point
4. When lines are parallel:
alternate angles are equal; alternate angles in parallel lines

corresponding angles are equal; corresponding angles in parallel lines

co-interior angles are supplementary; co-interior angles in parallel lines

and conversely. alternate angles are equal OR

corresponding angles are equal OR
co-interior angles are supplementary.
5. If two lines are parallel to a third line, then
parallel to third line
they are parallel to one another.
6. The sum of the interior angles of a triangle
angle sum of triangle
is 180.
7. The exterior angle of a triangle is equal to
exterior angle of triangle
the sum of the two interior opposite angles.
8. If three sides of a triangle are equal then
equilateral triangle
each interior angle is 60º.
Theorem Abbreviation
9. Each angle of an equilateral triangle is
equilateral triangle
equal to 60.
10. If two sides of a triangle are equal, then the
angles opposite equal sides in a triangle
angles opposite the equal sides are equal.
Conversely, if two angles of a triangle are
equal, then the sides opposite those angles sides opposite equal angles in a triangle
are equal.
11. In any right angled triangle, the square on
the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the Pythagoras’ Theorem
squares on the other two sides.
If the square on one side of a triangle
equals the sum of the squares on the other
converse of Pythagoras’ Theorem
two sides, then the angle between these
other two sides is a right angle.
12. The sum of the interior angles of any
angle sum of quadrilateral
quadrilateral is 360.
13. The sum of the exterior angles of any
exterior angle sum of polygon
convex polygon is 360.
14. Congruence of triangles:
a) If three sides of one triangle are
respectively equal to three sides of another
SSS
triangle, then the two triangles are
congruent.
b) If two sides and the included angle of one
triangle are respectively equal to two sides
SAS
and the included angle of another triangle,
then the two triangles are congruent.

c) If two angles and one side of one triangle

are respectively equal to two angles and the
AAS
matching side of another triangle, then the
two triangles are congruent.

d) If the hypotenuse and a second side of one

right-angled triangle are respectively equal
to the hypotenuse and a second side of RHS
another right-angled triangle, then the two
triangles are congruent.
15. The opposite angles of a parallelogram are
opposite angles of parallelogram
equal.
The opposite sides of a parallelogram are
opposite sides of parallelogram
equal.
The diagonals of a parallelogram bisect
diagonals of parallelogram
each other.
Theorem Abbreviation
16. The diagonals of a rhombus bisect each
diagonals of rhombus
other at right angles.
The diagonals of a rhombus bisect the
diagonals of rhombus bisect angles
vertex angles through which they pass.
17. The diagonals of a rectangle are equal. diagonals of rectangle
18. If both pairs of opposite angles of a
quadrilateral are equal, then it is a 2 pairs opposite angles equal
parallelogram.
If both pairs of opposite sides of a
quadrilateral are equal, then it is a 2 pairs opposite sides equal
parallelogram.
If one pair of opposite sides of a
one pair of opposite sides both equal and
quadrilateral is both equal and parallel, then
parallel
it is a parallelogram.
19. If all sides of a quadrilateral are equal, then
all sides equal
it is a rhombus.
20. Similarity of triangles:
a) If the three sides of one triangle are
proportional to the three sides of another 3 pairs of corresponding sides in
triangle, then the two triangles are similar. proportion

b) If two sides of one triangle are proportional

to two sides of another triangle, and the 2 pairs of corresponding sides in
included angles are equal, then the two proportion and included angles equal
triangles are similar.

c) If two angles of one triangle are

respectively equal to two angles of another equiangular
triangle, then the two triangles are similar.

d) If the hypotenuse and a second side of a

right-angled triangle are proportional to the
hypotenuse and a second side of another hypotenuse and side in proportion
right-angled triangle, then the two triangles
are similar.
21. The interval joining the midpoints of two
sides of a triangle is parallel to the third side join of midpoints
and half its length.
Conversely, the line through the midpoint
of a side of a triangle parallel to another converse of join of midpoints
side bisects the third side.
22. Parallel lines preserve ratios of intercepts
parallel lines preserve ratios
on transversals.