Triangle Congruence

Introduction to Coordinate Proof

Key Objectives
Position figures in the coordinate plane for use in coordinate proofs.
Prove geometric concepts by using coordinate proof.

Key Terms
A coordinate proof is a style of proof that uses coordinate geometry and algebra.

Example 1 Positioning a Figure in the Coordinate Plane

The figure in a coordinate proof is either given or placed on a coordinate plane. If coordinates of the figure's vertices are not
given in the conjecture, then the figure can be placed anywhere on the coordinate plane. However, there are some guidelines
for positioning a figure that will result in easier steps in the proof.
In this example, a figure is given. The figure is a rectangle
with length 6 units and width 4 units. The rectangle can be
positioned (placed) on the coordinate plane in any of the four
quadrants. However, it is typically easiest to place a figure
in the first quadrant so that the coordinates in each vertex's
ordered pair will be a positive number.
The rectangle could be oriented in any way, but placing the
rectangle so that its sides are vertical and horizontal, ideally
with one side on the x-axis and one side on the y-axis, is best.

So, Position 1 is the best position for this rectangle because

the coordinates of the vertices are all positive whole numbers
and two of the rectangle's sides are placed along an axis.

Example 2 Writing a Proof Using Coordinate Geometry

Make a plan for proving that the area of ABC is twice the
area of DBC. Find the area of each triangle and then
multiply the area of DBC by 2 to determine whether the
area of ABC = 2(the area of DBC).
Remember, the area of a triangle is 1/2 the product of the
triangle's base and height (where the height is the
perpendicular distance from the base to the opposite vertex).
So, the area of ABC is (1/2)(5)(8) = 20 units2.
Before the area of DBC can be found, the location of D
must be determined. Since D is given to be the midpoint
between A and C, the location of D can be found by using
the midpoint formula. The y-coordinate of D is the height of
DBC. Now the area of DBC can be found.

www.thinkwell.com

Copyright 2009 Thinkwell Corp.

Geometry

Example 3 Assigning Coordinates to a Vertex

The first figure given here is a right triangle. Since a right
triangle has one right angle, position that triangle so that the
vertex at the right angle is at the origin. This triangle's legs
have length m and n. So, assign one leg length m and the
other length n, but it doesn't matter which leg has which
length. Here, the vertical leg is assigned length m. Therefore,
the vertical leg extends to m on the y-axis, or from (0, 0) to
(0, m). And since the horizontal leg is assigned length n, this
leg extends to n on the x-axis, or from (0, 0) to (n, 0).
The rectangle has four right angles, so place the rectangle so
that one vertex is at the origin, one vertex is on the x-axis,
and another vertex is on the y-axis.

Example 4 Writing a Coordinate Proof

In this example, two methods are demonstrated for proving that the area DBE is one-fourth the area of ABC. The same
conjecture is proven in each proof, but the figure's coordinates are identified differently in each proof.
In each proof, it is given that a triangle, ABC, contains a right angle at B. Additionally, it is given that the midpoints of
two of the triangle's sides are identified as D and E, where D is the midpoint between A and B and E is the midpoint between
B and C.
The first step in each proof is to position ABC on a coordinate plane. Since B is a right angle, position B at the origin. It
follows that A must lie on the y-axis and C must lie on the x-axis. The lengths of the sides of ABC are unknown, so the next
step is to identify variables for the lengths of AB and BC. The difference in the two proofs below is based on the lengths chosen
for AB and BC.
Let AB = n and let BC = m. So, the coordinates of A must be
(0, n) and the coordinates of C must be (0, m).
Now that the coordinates of A, B, and C are identified, the
coordinates of vertices D and E in DBE can be deduced
(note that vertex B is the same point in both triangles). Since
D is the midpoint of A and B, use the midpoint formula with
(0, 0) and (0, n) to find the coordinates of D. The midpoint
formula can also be used to find the coordinates of E, but use
(0, 0) and (0, m) since E is the midpoint between B and C.
Now find the area of the two triangles. Since ABC has base
m and height n, the area of ABC is mn/2 units2. Since DBE
has base m/2 and height n/2, the area of DBE is mn/8 units2.

Therefore, since mn/8 = (1/4)(mn/2), the area of DBE is

one-fourth the area of ABC.

Copyright 2009 Thinkwell Corp.

www.thinkwell.com

Triangle Congruence

In Method 2, the triangle is again positioned on a coordinate

plane such that B is at the origin, A is on the y-axis and C is
on the x-axis. But in this proof, the lengths of the sides are
not m and n. Instead, let AB = 2j and let BC = 2n. The point
of identifying these lengths as "twice the variable" is so that
the coordinates of the midpoints will not contain fractions.
By using the midpoint formula, the base of DBE is found
to be n and the height of DBE is found to be j.
Now find the area of each triangle and compare the areas to
prove the conjecture.

www.thinkwell.com

Copyright 2009 Thinkwell Corp.