Understanding the Segment Addition Postulate: Adding Segment Lengths in Geometry

Segment addition postulate

The Segment Addition Postulate is a fundamental concept in geometry that deals with the addition of lengths of segments

The Segment Addition Postulate is a fundamental concept in geometry that deals with the addition of lengths of segments. It states that if three points A, B, and C are collinear (i.e., lie on the same line), then point B is between points A and C, if and only if the sum of the lengths AB and BC is equal to the length of segment AC.

Mathematically, the Segment Addition Postulate can be expressed as:

AB + BC = AC

To understand this concept, consider a line segment AC, where point B is located in between A and C. In this case, the length of segment AB added to the length of segment BC should result in the length of segment AC.

For example, let’s say the length of segment AB is 4 units and the length of segment BC is 3 units. To verify if point B is between A and C, we add the lengths of AB and BC:

4 + 3 = 7

Now, if the length of segment AC is also 7 units, then point B is indeed between points A and C. However, if the length of segment AC is not 7 units, this would mean that B is not between A and C.

Overall, the Segment Addition Postulate helps establish the concept of adding segment lengths and understanding their relationship when three points lie on the same line.

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