What does equilateral mean?
Word: Equilateral
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Equilateral means having all its sides the same length.
How do you spell equilateral?
Syllables: e - qui - lat - er - al
Tricky part: The sides match, so students write equalateral, as if the word began with equal. After the qu comes an i.
Watch out for: equalateral, equalatral, eqilateral
Memory tip: Equal is the meaning, not the spelling. Once you reach the qu, write i and move on.
Equilateral in a sentence
Example 1: Ravi used a ruler and compasses to draw an equilateral triangle.
Example 2: Each face of the paper model was a small equilateral triangle.
Example 3: The tiles on the school courtyard wall formed a pattern of equilateral triangles.
Fun Fact
Every angle of an equilateral triangle measures 60 degrees, whether the triangle is as small as a coin or as wide as a field.
Practise the CREST Way
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
lueqraltiae
a) equivalent
b) collateral
c) equatorial
d) equilateral
Show answer
d) equilateral. The jumble has no v, no o and no c, so only one option can be built.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The art teacher asked us to cut an equilaterel triangle from blue card for the kite.
a) teacher
b) kite
c) equilaterel
d) triangle
Show answer
c) equilaterel. The ending matches lateral, with al rather than el.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
equilatteral
a) r
b) t
c) a
d) l
Show answer
b) t. A single t follows the a in the middle of the word.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) isoceles
b) paralellogram
c) perpendiculer
d) equilateral
Show answer
d) equilateral. Isosceles has an s before the c, perpendicular ends in ar, and parallelogram has its double l after the second a.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. How many lines of symmetry does an equilateral triangle have?
a) two
b) three
c) one
d) four
Show answer
b) three
2. Which set of side lengths fits an equilateral triangle?
a) 3 cm, 4 cm, 5 cm
b) 5 cm, 5 cm, 5 cm
c) 2 cm, 3 cm, 4 cm
d) 4 cm, 4 cm, 6 cm
Show answer
b) 5 cm, 5 cm, 5 cm
