Geometry Exercises

1
These questions explore Euclid’s axiomatic approach to planar geometry.

Qn 1. Let A, B, C be points on the circumference of a circle, with A diametrically opposite B . Prove

Thales’ Theorem: ∡ACB is a right angle. Hint: use “pons asinorum” and the angle sum of a triangle.

Qn 2. Prove two right angle triangles are congruent if they have the same length hypotenuse, and one
other side of the same length (“RHS congruence”). Hint: same as Qn 1.

Qn 3. Let □ABCD be a cyclic quadrilateral; ie. all vertices lie on a circle:

D

A
C

Prove that the interior angles at opposite vertices are supplementary; ie. sum to 2 right angles.
Hint: use “pons asinorum” and the angle sum of a triangle.
Can you generalise this result to a “cyclic hexagon”? What about a “cyclic 2m-gon”? What is the
interior angle sum of a cyclic polygon with n vertices?

Qn 4. A Euclidean quadrilateral ADBC , with all its interior angles less than 2 right angles, is called a
kite if |AC| = |BC| and |AD| = |BD|:
C

A B

D
Give Euclid-style arguments to prove:
i) CD is the angle bisector of ∡C and ∡D; ie. ∡ACD = ∡BCD and ∡ADC = ∡BDC .
ii) CD is the perpendicular bisector of AB ; ie. CD meets AB at right angles, at the midpoint of AB .
Hint: use “pons asinorum” and SAS congruence.
Describe how these properties of kites give ruler and compass constructions for:
iii) the bisector of an angle α;
iv) the perpendicular bisector of a line segment AB ;
v) dropping the perpendicular from a point P onto a line L.

Qn 5. Prove the converse to “pons asinorum”; ie. if ABC is a Euclidean triangle with ∡A = ∡B then
|AC| = |BC|. Hint: drop the perpendicular from C onto AB .
Qn 6. i) Let L, M, L′ , M ′ be distinct lines, with L ⊥ L′ and M ⊥ M ′ . Prove that if L ∥ M then L′ ∥ M ′ .
Hint: use both Euclid’s and Playfair’s version of the Parallel Postulate.
ii) Suppose L, M are the perpendicular bisectors of two sides of a triangle △. Use (i) to prove that L and
M meet; ie. aren’t parallel. Deduce that the perpendicular bisectors of the edges of △ are concurrent;
ie. meet at a common point, called the circumcentre of △. Hint: use Qn 4; you don’t need a diagram!

Qn 7. A Euclidean quadrilateral □ABDC is called a parallelogram if its opposite sides are parallel; ie.
AB ∥ CD and AC ∥ BD.
C D

A B

Give Euclid-style arguments to prove the following are equivalent:

i) ABDC is a parallelogram.
ii) Opposite sides are equal; ie. |AB| = |CD| and |AC| = |BD|.
iii) The diagonals AD and BC bisect each other.
iv) Opposite angles are equal; ie. ∡A = ∡D and ∡B = ∡C .
Hint: show (i) =⇒ (ii) =⇒ (iii) =⇒ (iv) =⇒ (i); use Z-angles and opposing angles, SSS and ASA
congruence, and the angle sum of a triangle, as and when appropriate.

Qn 8. In a triangle ABC let M be the midpoint of AC and let M N be parallel to AB .

M N

A B

Prove N is the midpoint of BC , and |AB| = 2|M N |. Hint: construct a parallelogram by drawing the
line through N parallel to AC , and use Qn 7.
Deduce that in any triangle the line joining the midpoints of two edges is parallel to, and half the length
of, the opposite edge.

Qn 9. Suppose ABDC is a parallelogram. Let M be the midpoint of AB , and let T be the intersection
of diagonal BC with DM .
C D

A B
M

Prove |CT | = 2|T B|, and |DT | = 2|T M |. Hint: construct the midpoint N of CD and use Qn 7 to
show that AM DN is a parallelogram. Now use Qn 8.
Qn 10. In a triangle △ = △ABC the line joining a vertex A to the midpoint M of the opposite edge
BC is called a median of △ (there are two others). Use the constructions of Qn 8 and Qn 9 to prove
that if P is the intersection of this median with either of the other two then |AP | = 2|P M |. Deduce that
the medians are concurrent; ie. meet at the same point, called the centroid of △.

CMW, Spring 2020