Chapter 1

Properties of Triangles

 Median of a triangle
A median is the line segment joining a vertex of a triangle to the mid-point of the opposite
side.

In the given ABC, if AD = DC, then BD is the median of ABC with respect to side AC.
 There are three medians in a triangle. The three medians of a triangle are concurrent.
In the following figure, XA, YB and ZC are the medians of XYZ. The point where the
three medians intersect is the point of concurrence. In this case, G is the point of
concurrence.

 Altitude of a triangle
An altitude or height is the perpendicular drawn from a vertex of a triangle to its opposite
side.

In the given figure, AD is the altitude of ABC with respect to side BC.
 A triangle has three altitudes, one from each vertex. The three altitudes of a triangle are
concurrent.
In the following figure, AD, BE and CF are the altitudes of ABC. These three altitudes
intersect at a common point H. Thus, H is the point of concurrence of the three altitudes.

 Perpendicular bisectors of the sides of a triangle

The perpendicular line drawn through the midpoint of a side of a triangle is called the
perpendicular bisector of that side.

In the given figure, line l is the perpendicular bisector of side AB.

 The perpendicular bisectors of the three sides of a triangle are concurrent.
In the following figure, l, m and n are the respective perpendicular bisectors of sides AB, BC
and CA of ABC.

Here, D is the point of concurrence of the three perpendicular bisectors.

 Angle bisectors
A line segment that divides an angle into two equal parts is called the bisector of that angle.
 In the given figure, BQ is the bisector of ABC.
 In a triangle, the three angle bisectors are concurrent.
In the following figure, AP, BQ and CR are the respective bisectors of BAC, ABC and
BCA. Point X is the point of concurrence of the three angle bisectors.

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