Vocabulary
polygon side
vertex diagonal
convex concave
perimeter
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
Launch
Using patty paper, create intersecting lines. Identify the following and justify
your conclusion: vertical angles, complementary angles, supplementary angles,
a right angle, an acute angle, and an obtuse angle. As needed, fold additional
sets of intersecting lines.
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
A polygon is a closed figure in a plane, formed by connecting line segments endpoint to
endpoint with each segment intersecting exactly two others. Each line segment is called
a side of the polygon. Each endpoint where the sides meet is called a vertex of the
polygon.
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
You classify a polygon by the number of sides it has. Familiar polygons have specific
names, listed in this table. The ones without specific names are called n-sided polygons,
or n-gons. For instance, you call a 25-sided polygon a 25-gon.
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
To name a polygon, list the vertices in consecutive order. You can name the pentagon above pentagon
ABCDE. You can also call it DCBAE, but not BCAED. When the polygon is a triangle, you use the
triangle symbol. For example, △ABC means triangle ABC.
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
A diagonal of a polygon is a line segment that
connects two nonconsecutive vertices.
A polygon is convex if no diagonal is
outside the polygon. A polygon is
concave if at least one diagonal is
outside the polygon.
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
If it is possible to move one polygon to be superimposed over another polygon then the two polygons are
congruent. What is true of congruent polygons if we do not wish to copy one and see if it fits exactly on top
of the other? Two polygons are congruent if and only if they are the same size and shape. This means all the
corresponding sides are congruent and all the corresponding angles are congruent.
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
For example, if quadrilateral CAMP is congruent to quadrilateral SITE, then
their four pairs of corresponding angles and four pairs of corresponding sides
are also congruent. When you write a statement of congruence, always write
the letters of the corresponding vertices in an order that shows the
correspondences.
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
EXAMPLE
Which polygon is congruent to ABCDE? ABCDE ≅ ?
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
SOLUTION
Polygons JKFGH and ABCDE have all corresponding angles congruent, but not all
corresponding sides. Polygons STUVW and ABCDE have all corresponding sides
congruent, but not all corresponding angles. All corresponding sides and angles must
be congruent, so ABCDE ≅ NPQLM. You could also say ABCDE ≅ NMLQP
because all the congruent parts would still match.
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
The perimeter of a polygon equals the sum of the lengths of its sides.
Perimeter measures the length of the boundary of a two-dimensional figure.
The quadrilateral at right has perimeter 37 cm.
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
Special Polygons
Write a good definition of each boldfaced term. Discuss your definitions with others in your group.
Agree on a common set of definitions for your class and add them to your definitions list. In your
notebook, draw and label a figure to illustrate each definition.
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
Equilateral Polygon
Equilateral polygons are polygons in which all sides have equal
lengths.
Equiangular Polygon
Equiangular polygons are polygons in which all angles have
equal measures.
Regular Polygon
Regular polygons are polygons that are both equilateral and
equiangular.
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
Summarize
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
Summarize
• What are the characteristics of a regular hexagon?
• What is the difference between convex and concave polygons?
• Are polygons with the same perimeter necessarily congruent? Why or why not?
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
Summarize
• What are the characteristics of a regular hexagon?
It is a six sided polygon whose sides are the same length and whose angles are all the same
measure.
• What is the difference between convex and concave polygons?
In convex polygons, all diagonals are inside the polygon. In concave polygons, one or more
diagonals are outside the polygon.
• Are polygons with the same perimeter necessarily congruent? Why or why not?
No. Perimeter is the distance around the polygon. A rectangle with length 2 cm and width 4 cm
would have the same perimeter as a rectangle with length 5 cm and width 1 cm.
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
Extra Example
If the perimeter of the quadrilateral is 20 cm, find x.
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
Extra Example
ANSWER
x = 2 cm
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
Closing Question
What’s wrong with this picture of equilateral pentagon ABCDE?
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
Closing Question
ANSWER
Equilateral means sides are congruent but the angles are marked as
congruent. The vertices should be listed in the order in which they
appear, so the labels should be in order A, B, C, D, E.
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
pages 52 – 54
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
pages 52 – 54
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
pages 52 – 54
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
pages 52 – 54
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
pages 52 – 54
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
pages 52 – 54
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
pages 52 – 54
Discovering Geometry
Lesson 1.4 Polygons
©2015 Kendall Hunt Publishing
