10/7/2019 Parallel Lines, and Pairs of Angles

Parallel Lines, and Pairs of Angles

Parallel Lines
Lines are parallel if they are always the same distance apart (called "equidistant"), and will
never meet. Just remember:

Always the same distance apart and never touching.

The red line is parallel to the blue line in each of these examples:

Example 1 Example 2

Parallel lines also point in the same direction.

Parallel lines have so much in common. It's a shame they will never meet!

Try it yourself:

Next
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Pairs of Angles
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10/7/2019 Parallel Lines, and Pairs of Angles

When parallel lines get crossed by another line (which is called a

Transversal ), you can see that many angles are the same, as in this 118°
62°
example:

62°
118°
These angles can be made into pairs of angles which have special 118° 62°
names.

62° 118°

Click on each name to see it highlighted:

Choose One:
Transversal
Parallel Lines
Vertical Angles
Corresponding Angles
Alternate Interior Angles
Alternate Exterior Angles
Consecutive Interior Angles

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Now play with it here. Try dragging the points, and choosing different angle types. You can
also turn "Parallel" off or on:

Angles: All Angles

112° 68°

68° 112°

112° 68°

68° 112°

Parallel Reset
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10/7/2019 Parallel Lines, and Pairs of Angles

Testing for Parallel Lines

Some of those special pairs of angles can be used to test if lines really are parallel:

If Any Pair Of ... Example:

Corresponding Angles are equal a=e

or a b
Alternate Interior Angles are equal c=f
c d
or
e f
Alternate Exterior Angles are equal b=g

or
g h
Consecutive Interior Angles add up to 180° d + f = 180°

... then the lines are Parallel

Examples

These lines are parallel,

because a pair of
Corresponding Angles are
equal.

These lines are not parallel,

because a pair of
Consecutive Interior Angles
do not add up to 180° (81°
+ 101° =182°)

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10/7/2019 Parallel Lines, and Pairs of Angles

These lines are parallel,

because a pair of Alternate
Interior Angles are equal

Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5 Question 6

Question 7 Question 8 Question 9 Question 10

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