Geometric reasoning and simple proofs worksheet — GCSE Foundation

1.Triangle ABC is right-angled at B. Triangle DEF is right-angled at E. AB = DE = 6 cm and AC = DF = 10 cm (AC and DF are the hypotenuses of their triangles). A student says this is not enough information to prove the triangles are congruent, because only two sides are given. Which reason shows the student is wrong?

2.In triangle ABC, point D lies on side AB and point E lies on side AC, so that DE is parallel to BC. AD = 3 cm, DB = 6 cm and DE = 4 cm. Work out the length of BC.

3.Three angles meet at a single point on one side of a straight line. Two of the angles are 48° and 65°. Work out the third angle.

4.Triangle XYZ has angle X = 90°. Angle Y = 34°. Work out angle Z.

5.A builder props a straight plank against a vertical wall to reach a window ledge. The foot of the plank is 2.1 m from the base of the wall, and the plank is 3.5 m long. Work out how high up the wall the plank reaches.

6.Triangle ABC is similar to triangle PQR. AB corresponds to PQ, and BC corresponds to QR. AB = 5 cm, PQ = 15 cm and BC = 7 cm. Work out the length of QR.

7.A vertical flagpole casts a shadow 6 m long at the same time as a 1.2 m vertical post casts a shadow 1.8 m long. The flagpole and the post are both vertical, and the triangles formed by each object, its shadow, and the sun's ray are similar. Work out the height of the flagpole.

8.Two angles lie on a straight line. One angle is 37°. Work out the size of the other angle.

9.A ramp is built from two straight metal supports that rest on the flat ground and meet each other at the top, forming a triangle with the ground. One support meets the ground at 34°. The angle between the two supports where they meet is 71°. Work out the angle between the second support and the ground.

10.In parallelogram PQRS, angle P = 65°. Which reason correctly explains why angle R = 65°?

11.Triangle ABC is isosceles, with AB = AC. Angle B = 70°. Which reason correctly explains why angle C = 70°?

12.Triangle DEF is isosceles, with DE = DF. Angle E = 58°. Give a reason why angle F = 58°.

13.A quadrilateral has angles of 100°, 85° and 95° at three of its vertices. Work out the fourth angle.

14.A children's slide is built as a right-angled triangle: the vertical ladder side is 2.4 m, the horizontal base along the ground is 3.2 m, and the sloping slide is the third side. Work out the exact length of the sloping slide.

15.Lines GH and JK are parallel. A straight line crosses GH at point M and crosses JK at point N. Angle HMN = 71°. Angle HMN and angle MNK are alternate angles. Work out angle MNK.