ALGEBRA

A Self-Tutorial

This document is intended to present typical formulas from geometry.

Students in algebra or calculus (or other higher math classes) will
encounter them when doing word problems. This is NOT meant as a
formal, detailed lesson in geometry, just an informal review. No examples
of the use of the formulas are given, although a few more details will be
provided on the video version of this Lesson.

ANGLES
F Two angles are Complimentary Angles if the sum of the measures of
their angles is 90.

+ = 90

F Two angles are Supplementary Angles if the sum of the measures of

their angles is 180.
+ = 180

In the following formulas, height is also called altitude.

TRIANGLES
s1

s2
s3

Perimeter: P = s1 + s2 + s3
<Add the lengths of all 3 sides>

h = height b = base
h

Area:

F An Isosceles Triangle has two sides that are of the same length.

F An Equilateral Triangle has all three sides of the same length.

Y The sum of the measures of the interior angles of any triangle is 180.

+ + = 180

F A Right Triangle has one interior angle equal to 90.

90

F The Pythagorean Theorem states: For any right triangle, the sum of
the squares of the lengths of the legs is equal to the square of the length of
the hypotenuse.
hypotenuse
leg
leg
OR
3

a
b

Y Pythagorean Triples. Here are some examples of combinations of

integers that make the Pythagorean equation

true:

3
5
7
8
9

4
12
24
15
40

5
13
25
17
41

Y The sides of similar triangles are proportional.

b

d
f

QUADRILATERALS
(Four-sided figures)
Y Square:

s
d

s = side
s

d = diagonal

d=
Perimeter: P = 4s

s
4

Area:

s
Y Rectangle:

l = length w = width d = diagonal

Perimeter: P = 2l + 2w

Area:

l
Y Parallelogram:

b= base s = slant height

Perimeter: P = 2b + 2s

s
b

h = height

Area:
b

Y Trapezoid:

s2

s1

s3

Perimeter: P = s1 + s2 + s3 + s4
<Add the lengths of all 4 sides>

s4
5

b2

b1 = first base b2 = second base

h = height

h
Area:
b1
In calculus, you may encounter trapezoids on their sides:
h1 = first height h2 = second height
b = base
h1

h2

Area:

b
Y The sum of the measures of the interior angles of any quadrilateral is
360.

+ + + = 360

CIRCLES
r

r = radius

d = diameter
Diameter: d = 2r

C = circumference
Circumference: C = 2r
or C = d

Area:

3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510

<Pronounced: pie> is the number of diameters that can fit on the

circumference of a circle.
and 3.14 are typical approximations of .

SOLID FIGURES
Y Cube:

s = side of cube d = diagonal of face

D = diagonal of cube
D

Surface Area:

Volume:
s
Y Rectangular Box (or Rectangular Parallelepiped):
= length w = width h = height

d = diagonal of box

Surface Area: SA = 2( w + wh + h)
7

Volume:

Y Prisms (any kind):

h = height A = Area of the base
h
Volume:
A
The video illustrates other examples of prisms.
Y Pyramids (any kind):

h = height A = Area of the base

Volume:

A
The video illustrates other examples of pyramids.
Y Cone (Right Circular Cone):
s = slant height h = height
r = radius
s
h
Lateral Surface Area (Area of cone
not counting the area of base):

r
8

Total Surface Area:

or

Volume:
r
Y Cylinder (Right Circular Cylinder):

r = radius h = height
Lateral Surface Area:

Total Surface Area:

Volume:

Y Sphere:
r = radius
r

Surface Area:

Volume:

END OF LESSON

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