Basic facts

A triangle, showing exterior angle d.

Triangles are assumed to be two-dimensional plane figures, unless the context provides otherwise
(see Non-planar triangles, below). In rigorous treatments, a triangle is therefore called a 2-
simplex (see also Polytope). Elementary facts about triangles were presented by Euclid in books 14
of his Elements, around 300 BC.

The measures of the interior angles of the triangle always add up to 180 degrees (same color to point out they
are equal).

The sum of the measures of the interior angles of a triangle in Euclidean space is always 180
degrees.[5] This fact is equivalent to Euclid's parallel postulate. This allows determination of the
measure of the third angle of any triangle given the measure of two angles. An exterior angle of a
triangle is an angle that is a linear pair (and hence supplementary) to an interior angle. The measure
of an exterior angle of a triangle is equal to the sum of the measures of the two interior angles that
are not adjacent to it; this is the exterior angle theorem. The sum of the measures of the three
exterior angles (one for each vertex) of any triangle is 360 degrees. [note 2]