Classifying Triangles
Ever wonder how many different types of triangles exist? Triangles can be classified in two main ways: by their sides and by their angles.
When looking at sides, we have scalene triangles (no congruent sides), isosceles triangles (at least 2 congruent sides), and equilateral triangles (all 3 sides congruent). For angles, triangles are classified as acute triangles (all angles less than 90°), right triangles (one 90° angle), obtuse triangles (one angle greater than 90°), or equiangular triangles (all angles equal).
To classify a triangle, you can calculate the lengths of its sides using the distance formula: d = √(x2−x1)2+(y2−y1)2. For example, if triangle OPQ has coordinates O(0,0), P(-1,2), and Q(6,3), you would calculate each side length and compare them to determine if any are equal.
Quick Tip: When a triangle has no congruent sides, it's a scalene triangle. You can verify this by calculating each side length using the distance formula and comparing the results.