Congruence
1. What are Congruent Triangles?
Two triangles are congruent if their corresponding sides and angles are equal.
This means the triangles are identical in shape and size, though they may be rotated or
flipped.
2. Notation
If triangle ABCABC is congruent to triangle DEFDEF, we write: △ABC≅△DEF
The order of the letters matters! Corresponding vertices must match:
A corresponds to D,
B corresponds to E,
C corresponds to F.
3. Conditions for Congruence
There are four main criteria to prove that two triangles are congruent:
1. SSS (Side-Side-Side):
All three corresponding sides are equal.
Example: If AB=DE, BC=EF, and AC=DF
then △ABC≅△DEF
2. SAS (Side-Angle-Side):
Two sides and the included angle are equal.
Example: If AB=DE, ∠B=∠E, and BC=EF,
then △ABC≅△DEF.
3. ASA (Angle-Side-Angle):
Two angles and the included side are equal.
Example: If ∠A=∠D, AB=DE, and ∠B=∠E,
then △ABC≅△DEF.
4. AAS (Angle-Angle-Side):
Two angles and a non-included side are equal.
Example: If ∠A=∠D, ∠B=∠E, and BC=EF,
then △ABC≅△DEF.
4. Special Case: Right Triangles
For right triangles, there’s an additional criterion called HL (Hypotenuse-Leg):
The hypotenuse and one leg of one triangle are equal to the hypotenuse and one leg of
the other triangle.
△ABC and △DEF are right triangles with AC=DF(hypotenuses)
Example: If
and AB=DE (legs), then △ABC≅△DEF.
5. Why Congruence Matters
Congruent triangles are used to prove geometric theorems and solve problems.
They help establish equality of sides, angles, and other properties in geometric figures.
6. Examples of Congruent Triangles
1. SSS Example:
Triangle ABCABC has sides AB=5, BC=6, and AC=7.
Triangle DEFDEF has sides DE=5, EF=6, and DF=7.
Since all corresponding sides are equal, △ABC≅△DEF by SSS.
2. SAS Example:
Triangle ABCABC has AB=4, ∠B=50∘, and BC=6.
Triangle DEFDEF has DE=4 ∠E=50∘, and EF=6
Since two sides and the included angle are equal, △ABC≅△DEF by SAS.
3. ASA Example:
Triangle ABCABC has ∠A=30∘ , AB=5, and ∠B=60.
Triangle DEFDEF has ∠D=30∘ , DE=5, and ∠E=60∘
Since two angles and the included side are equal, △ABC≅△DEF by ASA.
7. Non-Congruence Conditions
AAA (Angle-Angle-Angle):
Two triangles can have all corresponding angles equal but still not be congruent
(they could be similar but different in size).
SSA (Side-Side-Angle):
This is not a valid congruence condition because it can produce two different
triangles.
8. Summary
Two triangles are congruent if their corresponding sides and angles are equal.
The main congruence criteria are SSS, SAS, ASA, and AAS.
For right triangles, HL is an additional criterion.
Congruent triangles are used to prove geometric relationships and solve problems.
Why Congruence Criteria Work (extra)
1. SSS (Side-Side-Side):
Three side lengths uniquely determine a triangle's shape and size. No other triangle
can have the same three side lengths.
2. SAS (Side-Angle-Side):
Two sides and the included angle fix the triangle's size and orientation. The third side
and other angles are uniquely determined.
3. ASA (Angle-Side-Angle):
Two angles and the included side determine the triangle's shape and size because
the angles fix the orientation, and the side fixes the scale.
4. AAS (Angle-Angle-Side):
Two angles determine the third angle (since angles in a triangle sum to 180°), and
the side fixes the scale, making the triangle unique.
5. RHS (Right angle-Hypotenuse-Side):
In a right-angled triangle, the hypotenuse and one side, along with the right angle,
uniquely determine the triangle using the Pythagorean theorem.
