Identifying what type of triangle you have by looking at its side lengths is an important skill! There are three main types of triangles: scalene, isosceles, and equilateral. Let’s take a closer look at each type!

1. Scalene Triangle

A triangle is called a scalene triangle when all three sides are different lengths. That means no sides are the same!

For example, if one side is 4 cm, another is 5 cm, and the last one is 6 cm, it’s a scalene triangle because all sides are different.

2. Isosceles Triangle

An isosceles triangle has at least two sides that are the same length. This means that the angles across from those equal sides are also equal!

For example, if a triangle has sides measuring 5 cm, 5 cm, and 3 cm, it is isosceles because two sides are the same.

3. Equilateral Triangle

An equilateral triangle is special because all three sides are equal.

For example, if a triangle has sides measuring 7 cm, 7 cm, and 7 cm, it is equilateral.

Also, each angle inside an equilateral triangle is 60 degrees!

How to Figure Out the Type

Here’s how you can determine what type of triangle you have based on its side lengths:

• Step 1: Measure the lengths of all three sides.
• Step 2: Compare the lengths:
  • If all sides are different, it’s scalene.
  • If two sides are equal, it’s isosceles.
  • If all three sides are equal, it’s equilateral.

Quick Summary

• Scalene: All sides are different (like 4 cm, 5 cm, 6 cm)
• Isosceles: At least two sides are equal (like 5 cm, 5 cm, 3 cm)
• Equilateral: All three sides are equal (like 7 cm, 7 cm, 7 cm)

Now you can easily figure out what type of triangle you have based on its sides. Have fun exploring triangles!