Which of the following best describes alternate exterior angles in the context of two parallel lines cut by a transversal?

• A. They are pairs of angles that lie inside the two lines and on opposite sides of the transversal.
• B. They are pairs of angles that lie between the two lines and on the same side of the transversal.
• C. They are pairs of angles that lie outside the two lines and on opposite sides of the transversal.
• D. They are pairs of angles that are adjacent to each other on the same line.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the setup - two parallel lines are cut by a transversal, which is a line that intersects both parallel lines.
2. Step 2: Identify the regions formed - the transversal creates eight angles: four angles at each intersection point with the parallel lines.
3. Step 3: Define exterior angles - these are the angles that lie outside the space between the two parallel lines.
4. Step 4: Define alternate exterior angles - these are pairs of exterior angles that lie on opposite sides of the transversal and outside the two parallel lines.
5. Step 5: Recognize that alternate exterior angles are congruent (equal in measure) when the lines are parallel, which is a key property used in many geometry problems.