Section 5-1

Perpendiculars and Bisectors

Perpendicular bisector

• A segment, ray, line, or plane that is perpendicular to a segment at its midpoint

Equidistant from two points

• A point that is the same distance from each point.

Perpendicular bisector theorem

• If a point is on the perpendicular bisector of a segment, then it is equidistant from the endpoints of the segment.

A B

C

P

Converse of the perpendicular bisector

theorem• If a point is equidistant from

the endpoints of a segment, then it is on the perpendicular bisector of the segment.

A B

C

P

Distance from a point to a line

• The length of the perpendicular segment from the point to the line.–Distance must be perpendicular!

–Look for right angle!

P

m

Equidistant from two lines

• When a point is the same distance from one line as it is from another line

Angle bisector theorem

• If a point is on the bisector of an angle, then it is equidistant from the two sides of the angle.

A

B

C

If CADmBADm

then DCDB

D

Converse of the angle bisector theorem

• If a point is in the interior of an angle and is equidistant from the sides of the angle, then it lies on the bisector of the angle.

A

B

C

DCDB If

then CADmBADm

D