In this page we practice identifying different types of triangles based on their angles and side lengths.
Example 1 – Acute Triangle
Angles: 70°, 60°, 50°
All angles are less than 90°, so this triangle is an acute triangle.
Example 2 – Right Triangle
Angles: 90°, 45°, 45°
Because one angle is 90°, this triangle is a right triangle.
Example 3 – Obtuse Triangle
Angles: 130°, 30°, 20°
One angle is greater than 90°, so this triangle is an obtuse triangle.
Example 4 – Scalene Triangle
Angles: 110°, 40°, 30°
All sides are different, which means all angles are different.
This triangle is a scalene triangle.
Example 5 – Isosceles Triangle
Two sides are equal.
Because the sides are equal, the angles opposite those sides are also equal.
This triangle is an isosceles triangle.
Example 6 – Equilateral Triangle
All three sides are equal.
Since the sum of the angles of a triangle is 180°, we can write:
x + x + x = 180°
3x = 180°
x = 60°
So an equilateral triangle has three 60° angles.
Triangle Inequality Examples
Can the following side lengths form a triangle?
- 1, 2, 2 → True
Because 1 + 2 > 2 - 2, 2, 2 → True
Because 2 + 2 > 2 - 1, 1, 3 → False
Because 1 + 1 < 3 - 1, 2, 3 → False
Because 1 + 2 = 3 - 4, 5, 6 → True
Because 4 + 5 > 6 - 3, 3, 5 → True
Because 3 + 3 > 5 - 5, 9.5, 5 → True
Because 5 + 5 > 9.5 - 5, 9.9, 5 → True
Because 5 + 5 > 9.9 - 5, 5, 10 → False
Because 5 + 5 = 10
When the sum of two sides equals the third side, the shape collapses into a straight line, so it is not a triangle.
Practice
- More Examples
Continue Learning
- Types of Triangles
- Triangles (Basics)
- Sum of Angles of a Triangle is 180° (Proof)
- Find the Missing Angle of a Triangle
- Sum of Exterior Angles of a Triangle (Proof)
- Exterior Angle Theorem of a Triangle
- Two Exterior Angles at a Vertex are Equal (Proof)
- Two Exterior Angles are Equal at a Vertex (Quick Proof)