Book 2A Chapter 5

(page 5.23 - 5.26)

Equilateral Triangles
Equilateral Triangle

Do you remember what an

equilateral triangle is?

An equilateral triangle is a triangle

with three equal sides.
Equilateral Triangle

Also, equilateral triangles have all the

properties of isosceles triangles. We can
use one of those properties to deduce a
property of equilateral triangles.

An equilateral triangle is a triangle

with three equal sides.
Equilateral Triangle
Consider an equilateral triangle ABC (i.e. AB = BC = AC).
A

B C
Equilateral Triangle
Consider an equilateral triangle ABC (i.e. AB = BC = AC).
∵ AB = AC A
∴ ∠B = ∠C (base ∠s, isos. △)

B C
Equilateral Triangle
Consider an equilateral triangle ABC (i.e. AB = BC = AC).
∵ AB = AC A
∴ ∠B = ∠C (base ∠s, isos. △)
∵ BC = AC
∴ ∠B = ∠A (base ∠s, isos. △) B C
∴ ∠A = ∠B = ∠C
Furthermore,
∵ ∠A + ∠B + ∠C = 180 (∠ sum of △)
180
∴ ∠A = ∠B = ∠C = = 60
3
Property of an equilateral triangle
A

B C

Each interior angle of an equilateral triangle is equal to 60.

i.e. In △ABC,
if AB = BC = AC,
then ∠A = ∠B = ∠C = 60.
[Abbreviation: prop. of equil. △]
 Let us try the following question.

The figure shows an equilateral triangle DEF. D

Find x.
∵ △DEF is an equilateral triangle.
∴ ∠DEF = 60 (prop. of equil. △) 3x
E F
i.e. 3x = 60
x = 20
 Like isosceles triangles, we can
determine whether a triangle is
equilateral by using its angles.

If the three angles of a triangle are A

equal, i.e. ∠A = ∠B = ∠C (= 60),
then the triangle is an equilateral triangle.
i.e. AB = BC = AC

B C
 Is △ABC an equilateral triangle?

A
∠A + ∠B + ∠C = 180 (∠ sum of △)
60 + 60 + ∠C = 180 60
∠C = 60 60 C
∵ ∠A = ∠B = ∠C = 60 60
∴ AB = BC = AC B
i.e. △ABC is an equilateral triangle.
Follow-up question
1. In the figure, △DEF is an equilateral D
triangle. EFG is a straight line. If 18
∠FDG = 18, find x.

60 x
Solution E G
F
∵ △DEF is an equilateral triangle.
∴ ∠DFE = 60 (prop. of equil. △)
Follow-up question
1. In the figure, △DEF is an equilateral D
triangle. EFG is a straight line. If 18
∠FDG = 18, find x.

60 x
Solution E G
F
∵ △DEF is an equilateral triangle.
∴ ∠DFE = 60 (prop. of equil. △)
In △DFG,
∠FDG + x = ∠DFE (ext. ∠ of △)
18 + x = 60
x = 42
Follow-up question
2. In the figure, AE and BD intersect A B
a
at C. ∠BAC = ∠DCE = a. If CE = DE
and AB // DE, determine whether C
△CDE is an equilateral triangle.
a

D E
Solution
∠CED = ∠BAC (alt. ∠s, AB // DE) A B
a
=a
C
a

a
D E
Solution
∠CED = ∠BAC (alt. ∠s, AB // DE) A B
a
=a
In △CDE, C
∵ DE = CE a
∴ ∠CDE = ∠DCE (base ∠s, isos. △)
=a a a
D E
Solution
∠CED = ∠BAC (alt. ∠s, AB // DE) A B
a
=a
In △CDE, C
∵ DE = CE a
∴ ∠CDE = ∠DCE (base ∠s, isos. △)
=a a a
∵ ∠CDE = ∠CED = ∠DCE = a D E
∴ CD = DE = CE
i.e. △CDE is an equilateral triangle.