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1.3 Points, Lines, and Planes

Goal The legs of the tripod touch the table

Use postulates and at three points. The legs suggest lines,
undefined terms. and the table surface suggests a plane.
Geometry depends on a common
Key Words understanding of terms such as
• undefined term point, line, and plane. Because these
• point, line, plane terms cannot be mathematically
• postulate defined using other known words, plane
• collinear, coplanar they are called undefined terms .
• segment
• ray A point has no dimension. It is represented by a small dot.
• endpoint
point A A

A line has one dimension. It extends without end in two directions.

It is represented by a line with two arrowheads.
l
^&
*(
line l or BC
B C

A plane has two dimensions. It is represented by a shape that looks

like a floor or wall. You have to imagine that it extends without end.

F
plane M or plane DEF D
M E

You need two points to describe a line, and you need three points to
describe a plane, because the geometry in this book follows the two
postulates given below. Postulates are statements that are accepted
without further justification.

POSTULATES 1 and 2
Postulate 1 Two Points Determine a Line n

Words Through any two points there is exactly

one line. P
P
Symbols Line n passes through points P and Q.

Postulate 2 Three Points Determine a Plane

Words Through any three points not on a
line there is exactly one plane. A B
T C
Symbols Plane T passes through points
A, B, and C.

14 Chapter 1 Basics of Geometry

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EXAMPLE 1 Name Points, Lines, and Planes

Use the diagram at the right.
D
a. Name three points. E
p
b. Name two lines.
c. Name two planes. F m
Œ
R
Solution
a. D, E, and F are points.
b. Line m and line p
c. Q and R are planes.

Collinear points are points that lie on the same line.

Coplanar points are points that lie on the same plane.

Coplanar lines are lines that lie on the same plane.

Visualize It!
EXAMPLE 2 Name Collinear and Coplanar Points
H
Use the diagram at the right.
E F H
a. Name three points that are collinear.
D E F
b. Name four points that are coplanar.
D G
c. Name three points that are not collinear.
In Example 2 the points
D, E, F, and H are also Solution
coplanar. The plane
a. Points D, E, and F lie on the same line. So, they are collinear.
containing them is
shown in green above. b. Points D, E, F, and G lie on the same plane, so they are coplanar.
c. Points H, E, and G do not lie on the same line. There are many
other correct answers.

Name Points, Lines, and Planes

Use the diagram at the right.

1. Name two lines.
n
2. Name two planes.

3. Name three points that are collinear. T

A m
B
4. Name three points that are not collinear. E
D
p C S
5. Name four points that are coplanar.

6. Name two lines that are coplanar.

1.3 Points, Lines, and Planes 15

 Page 3 of 7

Student Help ^&( passes through A and B.

The line AB
VISUAL STRATEGY The segment AB &* consists of the endpoints A and B, and all points
Add these words to
^&( that are between A and B.
on AB
your vocabulary pages
in your notebook, as &( consists of the endpoint A and all points on AB
^&( that lie
The ray AB
shown on p. 2.
on the same side of A as B.

SUMMARY LINES, SEGMENTS, and RAYS

Word Symbol Diagram

line ^&( or BA
AB ^&( A B

endpoint endpoint
segment &* or BA
AB &* A B

endpoint
ray &(
AB A B
endpoint
&(
BA A B

^&( is the same as BA

Note that AB ^&(. Also, AB
&* is the same as BA
&*.
&( is not the same as BA
However, AB &(. The two rays have different
endpoints and extend in different directions.

EXAMPLE 3 Draw Lines, Segments, and Rays

Draw three noncollinear points, J, K, and L. Then draw ^&( **(.
&*, and LJ
JK , KL
Solution
●
1 Draw J, K, and L. 2 Draw ^&(
● JK . ● &*.
3 Draw KL ● &(.
4 Draw LJ

K K K K

J J J J
L L L L

Draw Lines, Segments, and Rays

7. Draw four points as shown. A B C

^&( and AC
8. Draw the lines AB ^&(. Are the
lines the same? Explain.
D
&* and BD
9. Draw the line segments AC &*.
Are the segments the same? Explain.
&( and CB
10. Draw the rays CA &(. Are the rays the same? Explain.

16 Chapter 1 Basics of Geometry

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1.3 Exercises
Guided Practice
Vocabulary Check 1. Write in words how you would say each of these symbols aloud:
^&(, PQ
PQ &(, and QP
&*, PQ &(.

&( and QP
2. Explain the difference between PQ &(.

Skill Check Decide whether the statement is true or false.

3. Points A, B, and C are collinear.
D
4. Points A, B, and C are coplanar.
C
5. Points B, C, and D are coplanar. A B
^&(.
6. Point C lies on AB

^&( lies on plane ABC.

7. AB E

^&( lies on plane ABC.

8. DE

Sketch a line that contains point S between points R and T. Decide

whether the statement is true or false.
^&( is the same as RT
9. RS ^&(. &( is the same as TS
10. ST &(.

&( is the same as RT

11. ST &(. &( is the same as RT
12. RS &(.

&* is the same as ST

13. RS &*. &* is the same as TS
14. ST &*.

Practice and Applications

Extra Practice Naming Points, Lines, and Planes Use the diagram at the right.
See p. 675. 15. Name four points.
S
16. Name two lines.
B
A C
17. Name the plane that contains A, B, and C.
D E
18. Name the plane that contains A, D, and E. T

Evaluating Statements Decide whether the statement is

true or false.
19. A lies on line l. 20. A, B, and C are collinear.
l
Homework Help
21. B lies on line l. 22. A, B, and C are coplanar. A B
E
Example 1: Exs. 15–18
Example 2: Exs. 19–62 23. C lies on line m. 24. D, E, and B are collinear. D C
m
Example 3: Exs. 63–65
25. D lies on line m. 26. D, E, and B are coplanar.

1.3 Points, Lines, and Planes 17

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Naming Collinear Points Name a point that

G
is collinear with the given points. K
27. F and H 28. G and K H
F L N
29. K and L 30. M and J J

31. J and N 32. K and H M

33. H and G 34. J and F

Naming Noncollinear Points Name three points that are not

collinear.
35. 36. 37.
R V W X
U
A
S Z Y
N P P T
R

IStudent Help Naming Coplanar Points Name a point that is coplanar with the
ICLASSZONE.COM given points.
HOMEWORK HELP 38. A, B, and C 39. D, C, and F B C
Extra help with problem D
solving in Exs. 38–53 is 40. G, A, and D 41. E, F, and G A
E
at classzone.com F
42. A, B, and H 43. B, C, and F H G

44. A, B, and F 45. B, C, and G

Naming Noncoplanar Points Name all the points that are not
coplanar with the given points.
46. N, K, and L 47. S, P, and M K L
N M
48. P, Q, and N 49. R, S, and L
R
50. P, Q, and R 51. R, K, and N S
P P
52. P, S, and K 53. Q, K, and L

Game Board In Exercises 54–57, use the game board.

54. Name four collinear points.
A B
55. Name three points that are not P
collinear.
P R
56. Name four segments that
contain point R. F V C

^&( divides the board in half.

57. AD U S
^&( also divides the board in half.
QT T
Name the other lines that divide E D
the board in half.

18 Chapter 1 Basics of Geometry

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You be the Judge In Exercises 58–62, use the diagram of the

indoor tennis court.
58. Name two points that are
collinear with P.
59. Name three points that are
coplanar with P.
60. Name two planes that contain J.

61. Name two planes that do not

contain J.

62. Are the points K and N coplanar

with points J and Q? Explain.

Sketch the lines, segments, and rays. If you have

geometry software, try creating your sketch using it.
63. Draw four points J, K, L, and M, no three of
which are collinear. Sketch ^**( ^&(, and MJ
&*, LM
JK , KL &(. K
J
&(. Add a
64. Draw two points, A and B. Sketch AB
point C on the ray so B is between A and C. M
65. Draw three noncollinear points F, G, and H. L
&* and add a point J on FG
Sketch FG &*.
&(.
Then sketch JH

Three-Wheeled Car In Exercises 66–69, refer to the photograph of

the three-wheeled car.

66. A four-wheeled car is driving slowly over uneven ground. Is it

possible that only three wheels will be touching the ground at a
given time?

67. Is it possible to draw four points that do not lie on a plane?

68. A three-wheeled car is driving slowly over uneven ground. Is it

possible that only two wheels will be touching the ground at a
given time?
69. Is it possible to draw three points that do not lie on a plane?

1.3 Points, Lines, and Planes 19

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Standardized Test 70. Multiple Choice Which of the statements is false?

Practice X
A F, G, and H are collinear.
A K
X
B C, D, K, and L are coplanar. H L
^&(. G
X
C L lies on AB B C D E
F
X
D &*( contains CE
DE &*.

Mixed Review Describing Number Patterns Predict the next number.

(Lesson 1.1)
71. 6, 17, 28, 39, . . . 72. 9, 4, 21, 26, . . .

73. 4, 20, 100, 500, . . . 74. 0, 5, 15, 30, 50, . . .

Algebra Skills Fractions Write the fraction as a decimal. For repeating decimals,
round to the nearest hundredth. (Skills Review, p. 657)
1 3 3 4
75. }} 76. }} 77. }} 78. }}
2 4 5 10

2 4 7 11
79. }} 80. }} 81. }} 82. }}
3 3 9 2

Quiz 1
Sketch the next figure you expect in the pattern. (Lesson 1.1)
1. 2.

Find a counterexample to prove that the statement is false.

(Lesson 1.2)
3. If a number is divisible by 10, then it is divisible by 20.

4. Two sides of a triangle can never have the same length.

5. The sum of two numbers is always greater than either number.

6. If you fold a square piece of paper in half, then unfold it and

cut along the fold, you will always create two rectangles of the
same size.

Sketch the figure. (Lesson 1.3)

&*(. Add
7. Draw three noncollinear points P, Q, and R. Sketch QP
^&(.
a point T on the ray so that P is between Q and T. Then sketch RT

8. Draw four points, V, X, Y, and Z, no three of which are collinear.

^&(, XZ
Sketch VY ^&(, and YZ
^&(.

20 Chapter 1 Basics of Geometry