Identification of an Isosceles Triangle

🏆Practice types of triangles

When we have atriangle, we can identify that it is an isosceles if at least one of the following conditions is met:

1) If the triangle has two equal angles - The triangle is isosceles.
2) If in the triangle the height also bisects the angle of the vertex - The triangle is isosceles.
3) If in the triangle the height is also the median - The triangle is isosceles.
4) If in the triangle the median is also the bisector - The triangle is isosceles.

Start practice

Test yourself on types of triangles!

einstein

What kid of triangle is given in the drawing?

90°90°90°AAABBBCCC

Practice more now

Identification of an Isosceles Triangle

Before we talk about how to identify an isosceles triangle, let's remember that it is a triangle with two sides (or edges) of the same length - This means that the base angles are also equal.
Moreover, in an isosceles triangle, the median of the base, the bisector, and the height are the same, that is, they coincide.

Let's see it illustrated

These magnificent properties of the isosceles triangle cannot prove by themselves that it is an isosceles triangle.
So, how can we prove that our triangle is isosceles?

If at least one of the following conditions is met:
1) If our triangle has two equal angles - The triangle is isosceles.
This derives from the fact that the sides opposite to equal angles are also equal, therefore, if the angles are equal, the sides are too.

2) If in the triangle the height also bisects the vertex angle - The triangle is isosceles.
3) If in the triangle the height is also the median - The triangle is isosceles.
4) If in the triangle the median is also the angle bisector - The triangle is isosceles.
In fact, we can summarize guidelines 2 2 and 4 4 and write a single condition:
If two of these coincide - the median, the height, and the bisector - The triangle is isosceles.

Great, now you know how to identify isosceles triangles easily and quickly.


If you are interested in learning more about other angle topics, you can enter one of the following articles:

  • Sum of the interior angles of a polygon
  • Angles in regular hexagons and octagons
  • Measure of an angle of a regular polygon
  • Sum of the exterior angles of a polygon
  • Exterior angle of a triangle
  • Relationships between angles and sides of the triangle
  • The relationship between the lengths of the sides of a triangle

In the blog of Tutorela you will find a variety of articles about mathematics.


Examples and exercises with solutions for identifying an isosceles triangle

examples.example_title

What kid of triangle is given in the drawing?

90°90°90°AAABBBCCC

examples.explanation_title

The measure of angle C is 90°, therefore it is a right angle.

If one of the angles of the triangle is right, it is a right triangle.

examples.solution_title

Right triangle

examples.example_title

What kind of triangle is given in the drawing?

404040707070707070AAABBBCCC

examples.explanation_title

As all the angles of a triangle are less than 90° and the sum of the angles of a triangle equals 180°:

70+70+40=180 70+70+40=180

The triangle is isosceles.

examples.solution_title

Isosceles triangle

examples.example_title

What kid of triangle is the following

393939107107107343434AAABBBCCC

examples.explanation_title

Given that in an obtuse triangle it is enough for one of the angles to be greater than 90°, and in the given triangle we have an angle C greater than 90°,

C=107 C=107

Furthermore, the sum of the angles of the given triangle is 180 degrees so it is indeed a triangle:

107+34+39=180 107+34+39=180

The triangle is obtuse.

examples.solution_title

Obtuse Triangle

examples.example_title

What kind of triangle is given in the drawing?

999555999AAABBBCCC

examples.explanation_title

Given that sides AB and AC are both equal to 9, which means that the legs of the triangle are equal and the base BC is equal to 5,

Therefore, the triangle is isosceles.

examples.solution_title

Isosceles triangle

examples.example_title

Which kind of triangle is given in the drawing?

666666666AAABBBCCC

examples.explanation_title

As we know that sides AB, BC, and CA are all equal to 6,

All are equal to each other and, therefore, the triangle is equilateral.

examples.solution_title

Equilateral triangle

Join Over 30,000 Students Excelling in Math!
Endless Practice, Expert Guidance - Elevate Your Math Skills Today
Test your knowledge
Start practice