Reasoning in Geometry

Geometrical relationships will be taught in the following way at Knox and the wording below is what is
expected in assessment tasks. From Year 7, it is intended that students will give full geometrical reasons as
shown below (in bold). When marking, at most one mark will be deducted for no mention „parallel lines‟ or
AB || CD.

The general guiding principle is that the reason in brackets is used to justify the statement made prior to it. As a
result, “are equal” and “add to 180°” are not necessary. However, the statement needs to clearly show the angles
adding to 180°, not just state a final value. The only abbreviations that may be used are  for angle and ∆ for
triangle.

Angles should be named as ABC or B.

Three letters are preferable to avoid confusion.
Angles should not be named as ABC ˆ
Naming angles is not to be confused with classifying angles as
acute, right, obtuse, etc.
x + 40° = 90° (Adjacent Complementary Angles)

Also accepted:
Adjacent complementary angles form a right angle
Form a right angle

Not accepted: Complementary Angles

x + 165° = 180° (Adjacent Supplementary Angles)

Also accepted:
Adjacent Supplementary angles form a straight angle
Straight Angle

Not accepted: Supplementary angles

x + 130 + 70 + 110 = 360° (Angles at a point)

Also accepted:
Angles in a revolution
Angles at a point/revolution add to 360°

Not Accepted:
Angles add to 360°
x = 25° (Vertically opposite angles)

Also accepted:
Vertically opposite angles are equal
x + 55 + 45 = 180° (Angle Sum of a Triangle)

Also accepted:
Angles sum of a triangle is 180°
 Sum of ∆
x = 60° + 50° (Exterior angle of a triangle)

Also accepted:
The exterior angle of a triangle is equal to the sum of the two
interior opposite angles.
x = 110° (Exterior  of a ∆ is equal to sum of 2 interior opposite
‟s)

Not accepted:
x = 110° (Exterior angle of a triangle)
x + 120 + 81 + 76 = 360 (Angle sum of a quadrilateral)

Also accepted:
Angle sum of a quadrilateral is 360°

Not accepted:
Angles add to 360°

CGF = 120° (Alternate angles, AB || CD)

Also accepted:
Alternate angles on parallel lines are equal

Not Accepted:
Alternate angles are equal

HGD = 120° (Corresponding angles, AB || CD)

Also accepted:
Corresponding angles on parallel lines are equal

Not Accepted:
Corresponding angles are equal

FGD + 120° = 180° (Co-interior angles, AB || CD)

(Note: co-interior, not cointerior. Needs some reference to 180° or supplementary in
working or the reason)

Also accepted:
Co-interior angles on parallel lines add to 180°
FGD = 60° (Co-interior angles are supplementary, AB || CD)

Not Accepted:
Co-interior angles are supplementary
FGD = 60° (Co-interior angles, AB || CD)
x = 50° (Base angles of an isosceles triangle)

Also accepted:
Base angles of an isosceles triangle are equal.

Not accepted:
Angles in an isosceles triangle

x = 3 cm (Equal sides are opposite equal ’s in an isosceles ∆)

Also accepted:
Sides opposite base angles in an isosceles triangle
Angles opposite equal sides in triangles are equal

Not accepted:
Equal sides of an isosceles triangle
x = 60° (Angle in an equilateral triangle)

Also accepted
Angle in an equilateral triangle is 60°
3x = 180° ( sum of ∆)
 Circle Geometry
Equal arcs on circles of equal radii subtend equal angles at the centre and conversely

Also accepted
Equal arcs, equal angles

Equal angles at the centre stand on equal chords and conversely

Also accepted
Equal chords, equal arcs
Angles standing on equal chords
Angles standing on equal arcs
The angle at the centre is twice the angle at the circumference subtended by the
same arc.

Also accepted
Angles at centre and circumference
 at centre is 2 ×  at circumference
The tangent to a circle is perpendicular to the radius drawn to the point of contact
and conversely.

Also accepted
Tangent perpendicular to radius

1. The perpendicular from the centre of a circle to a chord, bisects the chord
2. The line from the centre of a circle to the midpoint of a chord is perpendicular
to the chord
3. The perpendicular bisector of a chord passes through the centre of the circle

Also accepted
1. Perpendicular from the centre
2. Line joining centre to midpoint of chord
3. Perpendicular bisector of chord
Equal chord in equal circles are equidistant from the centre
Chords in a circle which are equidistant from the centre are equal

Also accepted
Equal chords equidistant from centre

Any three non-collinear points lie on a unique circle, whose centre is the point of
concurrency of the perpendicular bisectors of the intervals joining the points.

Also accepted
Perpendicular bisector of chord passes through the centre

Angles in the same segment are equal

If an interval subtends equal angles at two points on the same side of it then the end
points of the interval and the two points are concyclic

Also accepted
Angles in the same segment
Converse of angles in the same segment
 The angle in a semi-circle is a right angle

Also accepted
Angle in a semi-circle

1. Opposite angles of a cyclic quadrilateral are supplementary

2. The exterior angle at a vertex of a cyclic quadrilateral equals the interior
opposite angle.
3. If the opposite angles in a quadrilateral are supplementary then the quadrilateral
is cyclic. (This is also a test for four points to be concyclic)

Also accepted
1. Opposite angles of a cyclic quadrilateral
2. Exterior angle of cyclic quadrilateral
3. Converse of opposite angles in a cyclic quadrilateral
The angle between a tangent and a chord through the point of contact is equal to the
angle in the alternate segment.

Also accepted
Angle in alternate segment
Angle between tangent and chord
Alternate segment theorem
Tangents to a circle from an external point are equal.

Also accepted
Tangents from external point

The products of the intercepts of two intersecting chords are equal.

Also accepted
Intersecting chords

(i.e. AE × EB = CE × ED)

The square of the length of the tangent form an external point is equal to the product
of the intercepts of the secant passing through the point.

Also accepted
Square of the tangent
Intersecting tangent and secant
Tangent and secant
(i.e. BA2 = BC × BD)
When circles touch, the line of centres passes through the point of contact

Also accepted
Centres of touching circles

Two circles touch if they have a common tangent at the point of contact

Also accepted
Tangent of touching circles