6-1

6-1 Properties
Properties and
and Attributes ofPolygons
Attributes of Polygons

Warm Up
Lesson Presentation
Lesson Quiz

HoltMcDougal
Holt GeometryGeometry
6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Warm Up

1. A ? is a three-sided polygon. triangle

2. A ? is a four-sided polygon. quadrilateral

Evaluate each expression for n = 6.

3. (n – 4) 12 24
4. (n – 3) 90 270

Solve for a.
5. 12a + 4a + 9a = 100 4

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons

Objectives
Classify polygons based on their sides
and angles.
Find and use the measures of interior
and exterior angles of polygons.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons

Vocabulary
side of a polygon
vertex of a polygon
diagonal
regular polygon
concave
convex

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons

In Lesson 2-4, you learned the definition of a

polygon. Now you will learn about the parts of a
polygon and about ways to classify polygons.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons

Each segment that forms a polygon is a side of

the polygon. The common endpoint of two sides
is a vertex of the polygon. A segment that
connects any two nonconsecutive vertices is a
diagonal.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons

You can name a polygon

by the number of its
sides. The table shows
the names of some
common polygons.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons

Remember!
A polygon is a closed plane figure formed by
three or more segments that intersect only at
their endpoints.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Example 1A: Identifying Polygons

Tell whether the figure is a polygon. If it is a

polygon, name it by the number of sides.

polygon, hexagon

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Example 1B: Identifying Polygons

Tell whether the figure is a polygon. If it is a

polygon, name it by the number of sides.

polygon, heptagon

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Example 1C: Identifying Polygons

Tell whether the figure is a polygon. If it is a

polygon, name it by the number of sides.

not a polygon

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Check It Out! Example 1a

Tell whether each figure is a polygon. If it is a

polygon, name it by the number of its sides.

not a polygon

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Check It Out! Example 1b

Tell whether the figure is a polygon. If it is a

polygon, name it by the number of its sides.

polygon, nonagon

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Check It Out! Example 1c

Tell whether the figure is a polygon. If it is a

polygon, name it by the number of its sides.

not a polygon

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons

All the sides are congruent in an equilateral polygon.

All the angles are congruent in an equiangular
polygon. A regular polygon is one that is both
equilateral and equiangular. If a polygon is not
regular, it is called irregular.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons

A polygon is concave if any part of a diagonal

contains points in the exterior of the polygon. If no
diagonal contains points in the exterior, then the
polygon is convex. A regular polygon is always
convex.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Example 2A: Classifying Polygons

Tell whether the polygon is regular or irregular.

Tell whether it is concave or convex.

irregular, convex

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Example 2B: Classifying Polygons

Tell whether the polygon is regular or irregular.

Tell whether it is concave or convex.

irregular, concave

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Example 2C: Classifying Polygons

Tell whether the polygon is regular or irregular.

Tell whether it is concave or convex.

regular, convex

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Check It Out! Example 2a

Tell whether the polygon is regular or irregular.

Tell whether it is concave or convex.

regular, convex

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Check It Out! Example 2b

Tell whether the polygon is regular or irregular.

Tell whether it is concave or convex.

irregular, concave

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
To find the sum of the interior angle measures of a
convex polygon, draw all possible diagonals from
one vertex of the polygon. This creates a set of
triangles. The sum of the angle measures of all the
triangles equals the sum of the angle measures of
the polygon.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons

Remember!
By the Triangle Sum Theorem, the sum of the
interior angle measures of a triangle is 180°.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons

In each convex polygon, the number of triangles

formed is two less than the number of sides n. So
the sum of the angle measures of all these triangles
is (n — 2)180°.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Example 3A: Finding Interior Angle Measures and
Sums in Polygons

Find the sum of the interior angle measures of a

convex heptagon.

(n – 2)180° Polygon  Sum Thm.

(7 – 2)180° A heptagon has 7 sides,

so substitute 7 for n.
900° Simplify.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Example 3B: Finding Interior Angle Measures and
Sums in Polygons
Find the measure of each interior angle of a
regular 16-gon.

Step 1 Find the sum of the interior angle measures.

(n – 2)180° Polygon  Sum Thm.

(16 – 2)180° = 2520° Substitute 16 for n

and simplify.
Step 2 Find the measure of one interior angle.

The int. s are , so divide by 16.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Example 3C: Finding Interior Angle Measures and
Sums in Polygons

Find the measure of each

interior angle of pentagon
ABCDE.

(5 – 2)180° = 540° Polygon  Sum Thm.

Polygon 
mA + mB + mC + mD + mE = 540° Sum Thm.

35c + 18c + 32c + 32c + 18c = 540 Substitute.

135c = 540 Combine like terms.
c=4 Divide both sides by 135.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Example 3C Continued

mA = 35(4°) = 140°

mB = mE = 18(4°) = 72°

mC = mD = 32(4°) = 128°

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Check It Out! Example 3a

Find the sum of the interior angle measures of

a convex 15-gon.

(n – 2)180° Polygon  Sum Thm.

(15 – 2)180° A 15-gon has 15 sides, so

substitute 15 for n.
2340° Simplify.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Check It Out! Example 3b

Find the measure of each interior angle of a

regular decagon.
Step 1 Find the sum of the interior angle measures.

(n – 2)180° Polygon  Sum Thm.

Substitute 10 for n
(10 – 2)180° = 1440°
and simplify.

Step 2 Find the measure of one interior angle.

The int. s are , so divide by 10.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons

In the polygons below, an exterior angle has been

measured at each vertex. Notice that in each case,
the sum of the exterior angle measures is 360°.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons

Remember!
An exterior angle is formed by one side of a
polygon and the extension of a consecutive side.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Example 4A: Finding Interior Angle Measures and
Sums in Polygons
Find the measure of each exterior angle of a
regular 20-gon.
A 20-gon has 20 sides and 20 vertices.

sum of ext. s = 360°. Polygon  Sum Thm.

A regular 20-gon has
measure of one ext.  = 20  ext. s, so
divide the sum by
20.
The measure of each exterior angle of a regular
20-gon is 18°.
Holt McDougal Geometry
6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Example 4B: Finding Interior Angle Measures and
Sums in Polygons

Find the value of b in polygon

FGHJKL.

Polygon Ext.  Sum Thm.

15b° + 18b° + 33b° + 16b° + 10b° + 28b° = 360°

120b = 360 Combine like terms.
b=3 Divide both sides by 120.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Check It Out! Example 4a
Find the measure of each exterior angle of a
regular dodecagon.

A dodecagon has 12 sides and 12 vertices.

sum of ext. s = 360°. Polygon  Sum Thm.

A regular dodecagon
measure of one ext. has 12  ext. s, so
divide the sum by
12.
The measure of each exterior angle of a regular
dodecagon is 30°.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Check It Out! Example 4b

Find the value of r in polygon JKLM.

4r° + 7r° + 5r° + 8r° = 360° Polygon Ext.  Sum

Thm.
24r = 360 Combine like terms.
r = 15 Divide both sides by 24.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Example 5: Art Application

Ann is making paper stars for

party decorations. What is the
measure of 1?

1 is an exterior angle of a regular

pentagon. By the Polygon Exterior
Angle Sum Theorem, the sum of the
exterior angles measures is 360°.

A regular pentagon has 5 

ext. , so divide the sum by 5.

Holt McDougal Geometry

6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Check It Out! Example 5

What if…? Suppose the

shutter were formed by 8
blades instead of 10
blades. What would the
measure of each exterior
angle be?

CBD is an exterior angle of a regular octagon. By

the Polygon Exterior Angle Sum Theorem, the sum
of the exterior angles measures is 360°.
A regular octagon has 8  ext.
, so divide the sum by 8.
Holt McDougal Geometry
6-1 Properties and Attributes of Polygons
Lesson Quiz
1. Name the polygon by the number
of its sides. Then tell whether the
polygon is regular or irregular,
concave or convex.
nonagon; irregular; concave
2. Find the sum of the interior angle
measures of a convex 11-gon. 1620°

3. Find the measure of each interior angle of a

regular 18-gon. 160°

4. Find the measure of each exterior angle of a

regular 15-gon. 24°

Holt McDougal Geometry