Overview

The purpose of this lesson is to identify the different "centers" of a triangle.

This lesson will address the following CCRS Standard(s) for Geometry:

8.5.G: Use informal arguments to establish facts about the angle sum and exterior angles of triangles, above the angles created when parallel lines are cut by a transversal, and the angle-angle criterion for similarity of triangles. For example, arrange three copies of the same triangle so that the sum of the three angles appears to form a line, and give an argument in terms of transversals why this is so

Directions

Complete 2.C Bisectors, Medians, and Altitudes homework assignment with 80% or better.

In this lesson we have learned:

A perpendicular bisector cuts a line segment in half forming a right angle
- All three perpendicular bisectors of a triangle meet at the circumcenter
- The circumcenter is equidistant to each of the vertices of the triangle
- The circumcenter is the center of the circle around the triangle
An angle bisector cuts an angle into two congruent halves
- All three angle bisectors of a triangle meet at the incenter
- The incenter is a point equidistant from each side of the triangle
- The incenter is the center of the circle inside the triangle
A median connects the middle of one of the triangle sides to the vertex opposite the segment
- All three medians of a triangle meet at the centroid
- The centroid is the point of balance for the triangle
- The centroid is 2/3 the distance from each vertex to the midpoint of the opposite side
An altitude connects a vertex to the opposite side of the triangle, forming a right angle
- All three altitudes of a triangle meet at the orthocenter