Examples
Consider △ ABC and ΔA′ B′ C ′ above.
1. If we match A with A′ , B with B′ , and C with C ′ , what are the corresponding sides?
What are the corresponding angles?
¯AB
¯¯¯¯¯ ↔ ¯A
¯¯¯¯
′B ¯¯′ ∠A ↔ ∠A′
¯BC
¯¯¯¯¯ ↔ ¯B
¯¯¯¯
′ C¯¯′ ↔ means “ corresponds to.” ∠B ↔ ∠B′
¯AC
¯¯¯¯¯ ↔ ¯A
¯¯¯¯
′ C¯¯′ ∠C ↔ ∠C ′
If A ↔ A′ , B ↔ B′ , and C ↔ C ′ , then we write ABC ↔ A′ B′ C ′ .
2. If we match A with B′ , B with C ′ , and C with A′ , what are the corresponding sides?
What are the corresponding angles?
¯AB
¯¯¯¯¯ ↔ ¯B
¯¯¯¯ ′ ¯BC
′ C¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯ ↔ ¯C
¯¯¯¯
′A¯¯′ ¯AC
¯¯¯¯¯ ↔ ¯B
¯¯¯¯
′A¯¯′
∠A ↔ ∠B′ ∠B ↔ ∠C ′ ∠C ↔ ∠A′
Congruent Triangles
Two triangles are congruent if and only if their vertices can be matched so that the corresponding
angles and sides are congruent.
The corresponding sides and angles of two congruent triangles are called corresponding parts of
congruent triangles. Corresponding parts of congruent triangles are always congruent.
We write ΔABC ≅ΔA′ B′ C ′ to say that Δ ABC and ΔA′ B′ C ′ are congruent. We agree that this
symbol also tells us the way in which the vertices are matched.
ΔABC ≅ΔA′ B′ C ′ means that
∠A ≅∠A′ and ¯AB
¯¯¯¯¯ ≅¯A
¯¯¯¯
′B ¯¯′
∠B ≅∠B′ ¯AC
¯¯¯¯¯ ≅¯A
¯¯¯¯
′ C¯¯′
∠C ≅∠C ′ ¯BC
¯¯¯¯¯ ≅¯B
¯¯¯¯
′ C¯¯
′.
Example 3
Suppose that ΔPQR ≅△ STV . What are the corresponding parts?
Angles Sides
∠P ≅ ∠S ¯P
¯¯¯¯
Q¯ ≅¯¯ST
¯¯¯¯
∠Q ≅∠T ¯P
¯¯¯R
¯¯ ≅¯SV
¯¯¯¯¯
∠R ≅∠V ¯QR
¯¯¯¯¯ ≅¯T
¯¯¯V¯¯
Do Exercise 1
1. Suppose that ΔABC ≅△ DEF . What are the corresponding parts?
Answer
1. ∠A ≅∠D, ∠B ≅∠E, ∠C ≅∠F ; ¯¯¯¯¯ ≅ DE
AB ¯¯¯¯¯ ≅ DF
¯¯¯¯¯, AC ¯¯¯¯¯, BC
¯¯¯¯¯ ≅ EF
¯¯¯¯¯
Example 4
Name the corresponding parts of these congruent triangles.
Angles Sides
∠X ≅∠U ¯XY
¯¯¯¯ ≅¯UV
¯¯¯
∠Y ≅∠V ¯YZ
¯¯¯ ≅¯VW
¯¯¯¯
∠Z ≅∠W ¯ZX
¯¯¯¯ ≅¯WU
¯¯¯¯¯
Do Exercise 2
2. Name the corresponding parts of these congruent triangles.
Answer
2. ∠N ≅∠P , ∠M ≅∠R, ∠O ≅∠Q; ¯¯¯¯¯¯ ≅¯P¯¯¯
NM R¯, ¯N
¯¯¯O
¯¯ ≅¯P¯¯Q
¯¯, ¯M
¯¯¯¯
O¯ ≅¯RQ
¯¯¯¯
Sometimes we can show that triangles are congruent without already knowing that all six
corresponding parts are congruent.
On a full sheet of paper, draw Δ ABC . On another sheet of paper, make a copy of ∠A. Label the
copy ∠D. On the sides of ∠D, copy ¯¯¯¯¯ and ¯AC
AB ¯¯¯¯. Label the copy ¯DE
¯¯¯¯ and ¯DF
¯¯¯¯. Draw ¯EF
¯¯¯¯. Cut out
Δ DEF and Δ ABC and place them together. What do you conclude?
We see that the triangles are exactly the same size and shape. That is, they are congruent.
The Side–Angle–Side (SAS) Property
Two triangles are congruent if two sides and the included angle of one triangle are congruent to two
sides and the included angle of the other triangle.
Example 5
Which pairs of triangles are congruent by the SAS property?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Pairs (b) and (c) are congruent by the SAS property.
Do Exercise 3
3. Which pairs of triangles are congruent by the SAS property?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Answer
3. (a), (c)
On a sheet of paper, draw a triangle. Then copy this triangle by copying each of its sides. Cut both
triangles out and place them together. We see that the triangles are exactly the same size and shape.
This suggests the following property.
The Side–Side–Side (SSS) Property
If three sides of one triangle are congruent to three sides of another triangle, then the triangles are
congruent.
Example 6
Which pairs of triangles are congruent by the SSS property?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Pairs (b) and (d) are congruent by the SSS property.
Do Exercise 4
4. Which pairs of triangles are congruent by the SSS property?
a.
b.
Answer
4. (a)
We have shown triangles to be congruent using SAS and SSS. A third way to show congruence is
shown below.
On a full sheet of paper, draw a triangle, Δ ABC . On another sheet of paper, draw a segment ¯¯¯¯¯ so
DE
that DE = AB. (¯¯¯¯¯ denotes the segment with endpoints D and E. DE denotes the length of ¯DE
DE ¯¯¯¯. At
D, make a copy of ∠A. ) At E, make a copy of ∠B. Label the third vertex of the copy F. Cut out
Δ ABC and Δ DEF and place them together. What do you conclude?
We see that the triangles are exactly the same size and shape.
The Angle–Side–Angle (ASA) Property
If two angles and the included side of a triangle are congruent to two angles and the included side of
another triangle, then the triangles are congruent.
Example 7
Which pairs of triangles are congruent by the ASA property?
a.
b.
c.
Pairs (b) and (c) are congruent by the ASA property.
Do Exercise 5
5. Which pairs of triangles are congruent by the ASA property?
a.
b.
c.
Answer
5. (b)
Examples
Which property (if any) should be used to show that these pairs of triangles are congruent?
8.
Use SAS.
9.
Use ASA.
10.
None.
11.
Use SSS.
Do Exercises 6–9
Which property (if any) should be used to show that the pair of triangles is congruent?
6.
7.
8.
9.
Answers
6. None
7. SAS
8. ASA
9. SSS
It is important to be able to explain why triangles are congruent.
Example 12
In Δ ABC and Δ DEF , ¯¯¯¯¯ ≅¯DE
AB ¯¯¯¯, ¯AC
¯¯¯¯ ≅¯DF
¯¯¯¯, and ∠A ≅∠D. Explain why the triangles are
congruent.
We have two sides and an included angle of ΔABC congruent to the corresponding parts of
ΔDEF. Thus, ΔABC ≅△DEF by SAS.
Example 13
In the following figure, ¯
¯¯¯¯ ⊥ ¯QP
CP ¯¯¯¯ and ¯EQ
¯¯¯¯ ⊥ ¯QP
¯¯¯¯. Also, ∠QDE ≅∠ PDC and D is the midpoint
of ¯
¯¯¯¯. Explain why ΔCPD ≅△ EQD .
QP
The perpendicular sides form right angles, which are congruent. Since D is the midpoint of ¯
¯¯¯¯,
QP
we know that ¯
¯¯¯¯¯ ≅¯PD
QD ¯¯¯¯. With ∠QDE ≅∠PDC, we have ΔCPD ≅△ EQD by ASA.
Do Exercise 10
10. In this figure, ¯¯¯¯¯ ⊥ ¯ED
AB ¯¯¯¯ and B is the midpoint of ¯ED
¯¯¯¯. Explain why ΔABD ≅△ ABE .
Answer
10. SAS
Sometimes we can conclude that angles and segments are congruent by first showing that triangles
are congruent.
Example 14
¯AB
¯¯¯¯ ≅¯BC
¯¯¯¯ and ¯EB
¯¯¯¯ ≅¯DB
¯¯¯¯. What can you conclude?
Since ∠ABE and ∠CBD are vertical angles, ∠ABE ≅∠CBD. Thus, ΔABE ≅△CBD by SAS.
As corresponding parts, ¯¯¯¯¯ ≅¯CD
AE ¯¯¯¯, ∠A ≅∠C, and ∠E ≅∠D.
Do Exercise 11
11. ∠R ≅∠T , ∠W ≅∠V , and ¯
¯¯¯¯¯ ≅¯TV
RW ¯¯¯. What can you conclude about this figure?
Answer
11. ΔSRW ≅ΔSTV by ASA; ∠RSW ≅∠TSV, ¯
¯¯¯¯ ≅¯TS
RS ¯¯¯, ¯SW
¯¯¯¯ ≅¯SV
¯¯¯
Example 15
Explain how you can use congruent triangles to find the distance across a marsh.
We mark off distances AX and BX and then extend ¯¯¯¯¯ and ¯BX
AX ¯¯¯¯ so that point X becomes the
midpoint of ¯¯¯¯¯ and ¯BD
AC ¯¯¯¯ ≅¯AB
¯¯¯¯. Then ΔABX ≅△ CDX by SAS. Thus, ¯DC ¯¯¯¯ as corresponding
parts. Then we can measure ¯¯¯¯¯ knowing that DC = AB .
DC
Do Exercise 12
12. On a pair of pinking shears, the indicated angles and sides are congruent. How do you
know that P is the midpoint of ¯¯¯¯¯?
GR
Answer
12. ΔGKP ≅△ PTR by ASA. Thus corresponding parts ¯
¯¯¯¯ and ¯PR
GP ¯¯¯¯ are congruent, so P is
the midpoint of ¯¯¯¯¯.
GR