Segment Addition Postulate

A postulate is something we don''t need to prove, as we already assume it''s true. So what exactly is the segment addition postulate? Let''s find out:

The segment addition postulate, explained

The segment addition postulate states that:

• If point B lies on the line AC, between points A and C, then
  AB + BC = AC
  .

In other words, the distance between A and C is equal to AB+BC.

Visualizing the segment addition postulate

When we visualize the segment addition postulate, its validity becomes very clear:


As we can see, AC clearly equals

.

Working with the segment addition postulate

Now let''s put our knowledge to good use and solve a problem using the segment addition postulate:


What is the distance of

?

We know that . So all we need to do is subtract 11 from 17 to get the distance:

Topics related to the Segment Addition Postulate

Partitioning a Segment in a given Ratio

Segments

Congruent Segments

Flashcards covering the Segment Addition Postulate

ACCUPLACER Elementary Algebra Flashcards

Pre-Algebra Flashcards

Practice tests covering the Segment Addition Postulate

Pre-Algebra Diagnostic Tests

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