Points

Points are the red blood cells of geometry. By themselves, theyre pretty dull, but you cant really talk about larger geometric figures without using points. Lines, triangles, polygons, and angles are all described using the points that comprise them. For the record, a point technically has no width and length. Its just a place marker. In the figure below, point F is outside the square denoted by the points MNOP. Point Gis inside the square.

Lines
The next step up on the geometric food chain is the line. A line is an infinite set of points assembled in a straight formation. Lines have no width, but they do have length. Lines go on infinitely, which we indicate visually by placing a double-arrowed hat over two points that define the line, like this: .

Lines can be parallel, meaning they never meet. How sad. Parallel lines are denoted like this: . If a line crosses another line at a 90-degree right angle, the two lines . are perpendicular. In symbol speak:

When two parallel lines are cut by a third straight line, that line, known as atransversal, will intersect with each of the parallel lines. Line goes on forever, but a line segment (denoted AB or ) does not. Line segments dont get to wear the cool, double-arrowed hat, but they do have a finite length: line segment AB = 4. Most geometric figures are made up of line segments.

Angles
An angle consists of two lines, rays, or line segments sharing a common endpoint. This is very useful to know, since determining the value of angles is a game you will play over and over again on the SAT. Angles are denoted by the symbol . There are many different ways to name an angle, and the SAT will use every one of them. You can use points, but the center letter has to be the vertex (the place where the rays start) of the angle. In the previous example, : they are both the same thing. Angles are measured in degrees, which have nothing to do with the temperature. Geometric degrees are indicated by this little guy: .

Types of Angles

Angle a is a right angle, which equals 90. Youll see the sign to show that its a right angle. (This sign is also on the perpendicular lines on page 18.) Combined, angles b and c also form a right angle. Angles that sum up to 90 are calledcomplementary angles. Lines 2 and 3 cross to make angles b and g. These are vertical angles, and vertical angles are always equal. Angles c and h are another pair of vertical angles. Shifting over to the other diagram, angle e is an acute angle (less than 90) while angle d isobtuse (more than 90). There are 180 in a line, so angle f = 180. Angles d and eadd up to make a line, which earns them the moniker supplementary angles. Supplementary angles always add up to 180. An angle with a measure of 0 is called a zero angle. Lines 4 and 6 overlap each other, so they create a 0 angle.