PART 2

1. a) Draw line l on the Euclidean plane. Through point A, not on l, construct a line m that is
parallel to l. Locate another point B that is not on either l or m. Draw a line n through B parallel
to l. Is m parallel to n? Can you prove this?

n
B
m
A
l

b) Draw a line r on the hyperbolic plane. Through a point P not on r, draw a line s that is
parallel to r. Through point Q that is not on either r or s, draw a line t that is parallel to r. Are s
and t parallel?

t Q
Q
s s
P P

t
r r
Figure (a) Figure (b)

Note:
You will confirm that on the Euclidean plane if two lines are parallel to the same line, then
they are parallel to each other. On the hyperbolic plane, however, it is possible for two lines
parallel to a third line to be parallel or non-parallel as shown in the diagram above.
In Figure (a) above, r || s and r || t, and s || t. However, in figure (b) r || s and r || t and s
and t are not parallel.

2. a) Draw a line l on the Euclidean plane. Locate two points A and B on the line. At each point
construct a perpendicular line. Are the two perpendicular lines parallel. Can you prove this?

b) Draw a line m on the hyperbolic plane. Locate at least two points P and Q on the line. At
each point draw a perpendicular to the line. Are the two lines parallel?

m
Q
P
R

c) On the Euclidean plane if two lines are perpendicular to the same line, then the two lines are
perpendicular. Is this true for the hyperbolic plane?
 Note:
You will discover that, as for the Euclidean plane, if two lines are perpendicular to the same
line on the hyperbolic plane, then the two perpendicular lines are parallel.
In neutral geometry (the geometry without any parallelism axiom) which is true for both
Euclidean and hyperbolic geometry, we are able to prove numerous theorems. One of these
theorems is the Alternate Interior Angle Theorem. This theorem states the following:
If two lines cut by a transversal have a pair of congruent alternate interior angles, then the
two lines are parallel.

l'

A'
1
2

2
1
A l B

Consider two lines l and l’ and a transversal as shown in the figure, and let A1 and A1 be the two
'

alternate interior angles that are congruent. Now, if l and l’ are not parallel then they should meet at
a point such as B in the figure. We now find point C on l’ on the opposite of B such that A ' C  AB .
Then we see that AA ' B AA ' C ( SAS ) . In particular, A2  A2 . Therefore, since A1 and A2
' ' '

are supplementary, A1 and A2 should be supplementary. This means that C lies on l, and hence l
and l’ have two points in common, which contradicts the first axiom in both geometries, namely that
two distinct points define a unique line. Therefore, l || l’.
A corollary to this theorem is that two lines that are perpendicular to the same line are parallel. This
is true because if l and l’ are both perpendicular to t, the alternate interior angles are right angles
and they are congruent.
Therefore, we have proved in both geometries that if two lines that are perpendicular to a line
then they are parallel.

3. When two lines cut by a transversal on the Euclidean plane, have congruent corresponding
angles, then the two lines are parallel.
Investigate whether the same is true for lines drawn on the hyperbolic plane.

1 m
m1 = 90.0°

m2 = 90.0°
2

m3 = 90.0°
 Note:
You will discover that when corresponding angles are congruent, lines on the hyperbolic
plane will be parallel.
In fact, this is another corollary to the Alternate Interior Angle Theorem in neutral geometry
that we have just completed the proof for. In the following figure A1 and A1 are
'

corresponding angles. A2 and A1 are vertical angles that are congruent in both
' '

geometries. Therefore, if A1  A1 , then A2  A1 . These two are alternate interior
' '

angles and by the Alternate Interior Angle Theorem we conclude that l and l'’are parallel.

A' 1 l'
2

1 l
A

4. a) Draw triangle ABC on the Euclidean plane. Prove that the sum of the interior angles of a
triangle on the Euclidean plane is equal to 180o.
B

l m

2
1 3
A C

b) Draw a triangle on the hyperbolic plane. Use the hyperbolic measure tool to measure the
interior angles of the triangle. Compare the sum of the angles of a hyperbolic triangle to that of
a Euclidean triangle.

1
m1 = 17.7°

3 m2 = 12.9°
2 R
m3 = 11.6°
Q
m1 + m2 + m3 = 42.2°
 Note:
Based on their background in Euclidean geometry, you should be able to present a sketch and
proof to show that the sum of the angles of a triangle on the plane is 180 o. Note that in the
diagram provided above, ∆ABC is arbitrary, and line m is parallel to segment AB. C2 and B
are alternate interior angles, and therefore congruent, C3 and A are corresponding angles
and are therefore congruent, and the sum of the three angles C1 , C2 and C3 is 1800 .
For the hyperbolic case, you will realize that
(a) the sum of the angles of a hyperbolic triangle is less than 1800
(b) there is not any fixed value (such as 1800) for the sum of the angles of a hyperbolic triangle.
You will also discover that they are able to construct triangles with angle measure of zero
degrees. Since these triangles have their vertices on infinity, we consider them as a special case
of study that is beyond the scope of this current work.

5. a) Draw a triangle on the Euclidean plane. Extend one side of the triangle to create an exterior
angle. Prove that the exterior angle is equal to the sum of the two non-adjacent interior
angles.

1 2
B C D

b) Draw a triangle on the hyperbolic plane. Extend one of the sides of the triangle. Measure
the exterior angle and compare this measure with the measure of the sum of the measure of
the two non-adjacent interior angles. What can you conclude?

P=14.2°

2
Q = 13.4°
1
R R1= 43.4°
S
R2 = 136.6°
Q

Note:
You can prove that the exterior angle of a triangle is equal to the sum of the two remote
interior angles by using the triangle as shown above. Since the sum of the angles of a triangle
is 180o, A  B  C1  180 . But the adjacent angles at C are supplementary, so
o

C1  C2  180o . Therefore, C2  A  B

You will discover that the measure of the exterior angle of a hyperbolic triangle is not equal
to the sum of the measures of the non-adjacent interior angles. Logically, you may argue that
 since R1  R2 180 and R1  P  Q is less than 180o, then R2 is more than the sum
o

of P and Q .

6. On the Euclidean plane, if two angles of one triangle are congruent to two angles of another
triangle, then the third angles are congruent.
Draw a triangle on the hyperbolic plane. Measure the angles of the triangle. Create a second
triangle with two angles in the second triangle congruent to two angles in the first. Measure
the third angle of the triangle. Are the third angles congruent?

3 m1 = 25.7° m4 = 25.7°
m2 = 7.0° m5 = 7.0°
2
4 m3 = 56.0° m6 = 133.0°
6
5

Note:
You may find it easier to use the NonEuclid website for this activity. This website offers a
construction to create one angle congruent to another, making it easier for you to create the
required triangles.
You will discover that if two angles of one triangle on the hyperbolic plane are congruent to
two angles of another, then the third angles are not necessarily congruent. Here, it is
important to keep in mind that the third angles are not congruent unless two triangles are
congruent. This means that AAA is sufficient to prove that two triangles in the hyperbolic
plane are congruent.

a) Draw an isosceles triangle on the Euclidean plane. Prove that the angles at the base of the
congruent sides are congruent.
A

B C
b) Draw an isosceles triangle on the hyperbolic plane. Measure the angles at the base of the
congruent sides. Are the base angles congruent?

l1 = 3.59 l1 l2 l2 = 3.59

2
1
m2 = 15.5°

m1 = 15.5°
 Note:
The proof for the Euclidean plane can be achieved by proving that ∆ABC is congruent to ∆ACB
by SSS where the corresponding congruent sides are AB  AC , AC  AB, BC  BC .
Corresponding angles are therefore congruent, and B  C .
In the hyperbolic case, the NonEuclid program once again offers you an easy way to construct
lines of equal length. Using this program will enable them to discover that the base angles
theorem is valid on the hyperbolic plane. We may mention that SSS is also true in hyperbolic
geometry and therefore a similar proof is valid in hyperbolic geometry.

7. a) Draw a triangle on the Euclidean plane with two angles congruent. Prove that the sides
opposite the congruent angles are congruent.
A

B C

b) Draw a triangle with two angles congruent on the hyperbolic plane. Measure the sides
opposite the congruent and report whether these sides are congruent.

Note to the teacher. (15 minutes)

On the plane you should be able to prove that ABC ACB using ASA, and therefore
AB  AC .
As in Euclidean geometry, if two angles of a triangle on the hyperbolic plane are congruent,
then the sides opposite the angles are congruent.

Dis tance = 3.73

Distance = 3.73

2
1 m2= 17.3°
m1 = 17.3°
8. a) Draw an equilateral triangle on the Euclidean plane. Prove that the measure of each angle of
an equilateral triangle is 600
b) Draw an equilateral triangle on the hyperbolic plane. Determine the measure of each angle
of the equilateral triangle. How do your observations on the hyperbolic plane compare with
those on the Euclidean plane?

m1 = 23.3°

Distance = 3.12 Distance = 3.12 m2 = 23.3°

m3 = 23.3°

2 3
Distance = 3.12

Note:
You should be able to construct an equilateral triangle using a compass and a straight edge
only, given a side of the triangle. Let AB be the side of the triangle. If we now construct two
circles with the same radius as AB, one with center at A and the other centered at B, these
two circles will intersect in two points C and C`. Each of these two vertices with A and B will
create equilateral triangles.

A B

C'

You should use the same method to create equilateral triangles on the Poincaré disk. They
will notice that their equilateral
C triangles don’t seem to have congruent sides. Once more,
you should be reminded that distances seem to be distorted on the Poincaré disk in our
Euclidean eyes.

B
A

C'
 You will discover that equilateral triangles on the hyperbolic plane are also equiangular.
Unlike Euclidean equilateral triangles, however, each angle is not equal to 60 o, and is
different from one triangle to another.

9. a) What is the formula for calculating the area of a triangle on the Euclidean plane?

A b B

b) Investigate whether this formula is valid for calculating the area of a triangle on the
hyperbolic plane.

Note:
The formula for the area of a triangle on the Euclidean plane is A = ½bh where b is the base
of the triangle and h is the height. When we study a triangle on the Poincaré disk, a different
value is obtained for each calculation of 1/2 bh for each pair of base and height used. This
formula can therefore not be used to calculate the area of a triangle on the hyperbolic plane.

b1 = 3.58
h1 = 2.87
0.5 b1 h1 = 5.13

b2
b3 h2 = 2.40
h2
h3 b2 = 4.05
h1 0.5 h2 b2 = 4.87
b1
h3 = 2.51
b3 = 3.94
0.5 h3 b3 = 4.95

10. In a right triangle on the Euclidean plane, the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of
the squares on the legs of the triangle. Does this Theorem of Pythagorean hold for triangles on
the hyperbolic plane?
Construct a number of right triangles on the hyperbolic plane. Use the hyperbolic measure
segment option to measure the lengths of the hypotenuse and legs. Use the calculate
command under the measure command to discover whether this theorem is valid on the
hyperbolic plane.
 Note:
The following figure presents a right triangle on the hyperbolic plane in the Poincaré disk.
You will discover that the Theorem of Pythagoras is not valid on the hyperbolic plane.

m1 = 90.0°
a = 2.78
a
b = 2.12
c
c = 4.22

1 a 2 + b 2 = 12.21
C b c 2 = 17.83

Note:
In general, when we say that two triangles ABC and A ' B ' C ' are congruent, we mean
that if the two triangles are drawn in two different locations, then we can move one triangle
so that it will coincide exactly with the other. For you, it is sufficient that they understand
that two triangles are congruent if all their corresponding angles and corresponding sides are
congruent. In Euclidean geometry we realize that having SSS guarantees that all angles are
congruent as well, and therefore the two triangles are congruent. The same is true for SAS
and ASA. For the following questions, what we would like to do is to create two triangles in
the hyperbolic plane based on any of the SSS, SAS, or ASA conditions, and then check to see if
all other congruence relations exist (all corresponding angles are congruent and all
corresponding sides are congruent).

11. The SAS Congruence Postulate states that if two sides and the included angle of one triangle
are congruent respectively to two sides and the included angle of another triangle, then the
two triangles are congruent.
Investigate whether this postulate can be accepted on the hyperbolic plane.

F
C

E
A B D
 Note:
You will construct ABC on the disk. Then, using the tool measure, they will construct DE
congruent to AB in another location. They will then use the angle measure tool to construct
an angle on DE with vertex D which is congruent to angle A. Now, on this new side of the
angle, find a point F such that AC  DF . We notice that these two triangles have two sides
and an angle between them congruent ( AC  DF , A  D, AB  DE ) . Now what we need
to do is to check that all other corresponding components are congruent as well
(i.e. BC  EF , C  F , B  E ). You will find through measurement that all other
corresponding components are congruent.

12. The SSS Congruence Theorem and the ASA Congruence Theorems are valid on the Euclidean
plane. Use the NonEuclid webiste to discover whether these theorems are valid on the
hyperbolic plane

F
C

E
A B D

Note:
Once again, you will construct ABC on the disk. Using the tool measure, construct
DE  AB, DF  AC , FE  BC . What we need to do now is determine whether the
corresponding angles are congruent. You should use the tool to measure angles to confirm
that the corresponding angles are congruent.

13. On the Euclidean plane, if three angles of one triangle are congruent to three angles of another
triangle, then the corresponding sides of the triangles are in proportion and the two triangles
are similar.
If three angles of one triangle on the hyperbolic plane are congruent to three angles of
another, what can we say about these two triangles?

A = 22.3°
F
B = 53.5°
C C = 34.3°
E
D = 22.3°
D E = 53.6°
F = 73.9°
A B

Note:
Construct ABC on the hyperbolic plane. Use the angle measure tool to measure the size of
each angle in the triangle. Draw a segment DE and at vertex D construct an angle that is
congruent to A . At vertex E construct an angle that is congruent to the angle at B. You will
discover the third angle of DEF is only congruent to the third angle of ABC when the two
triangles are identical, i.e. the two triangles are congruent. Similar triangles do not exist on
the hyperbolic plane unless the two triangles are congruent; in which case they are identical.