Have you ever seen an advertisement that provides you with a benefit if you buy their product?

• Free cell phone when you sign up for a two year contract
• Receive a $3000 rebate when you buy a new car
• Buy one, get one free

What do these statements really mean?

• If you sign up for a two year contract, you will receive a free cell phone
• If you buy a new car, then you will receive a $3000 rebate.
• If you buy one item, then you will get the other one for free.

Maybe you have worked with “cause” and “effect” in your Language Arts class.

• The cause is something that makes something else happen. Out of two events, the cause is the event that happens first. The cause describes “Why something happened.”
• An effect is what happens as a result of the cause. Of two related events, it’s the effect that happens second or last.  The effect describes "What Happened as a result of the cause?"

When these statements are put together, what do they really mean?

• If Superman kicks the ball, then the ball flies into outer space.
• If Garfield teases the dog, then the dog growls.
• If Dexter studies hard for a test, then Dexter earns an A on his test.

The scientific method is based on making an assumption, testing it, and then drawing a conclusion.

• A Hypothesis is a tentative assumption made in order to test a logical consequence or conclusion.
• A Conclusion is the logical result or outcome of an act or process that is reached after testing a hypothesis.

Some Scientific Examples

• If skin cancer is related to too much exposure to ultra violet light, then people who live on the beach are likely to have skin cancer.
• If the color of a leaf is related to the temperature of its environment, then leaves exposed to varying degrees of temperature will change colors.

What do each of these examples have in common?

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“If” and “then ”

Statements in the form of “IF” something, “THEN” something are called Conditional Statements. IF—THEN statements join two statements together based on a condition.

Definition of a Conditional Statement in Geometry

Conditional Statement is a statement that can be written in the form "IF p, THEN q," because IF—THEN statements join two statements together based on a condition.

Examples of Conditional Statements

If the first phrase occurs, the second phrase will result as a condition of the first action.

• If you get a 100 on your final exam, then your teacher will give you an “A.”
• If you live in Austin, then you live in Texas.
• If a number is divisible by 10, then the number ends in zero.

The “p” part of the conditional statement is referred to as the “Hypothesis.”

The “q” part of the conditional statement is referred to as the “Conclusion.”

Remember "if" is not part of the hypothesis and "then" is not part of the Conclusion. "If" and "then" are used to create a relationship.