TRIANGLE CONGRUENCE

If two triangles are congruent, then all

A
six of their corresponding pairs of parts
are also congruent. In other words, if
B
ABC XYZ, then all the
congruence statements at right are
correct. Note that the matching parts follow the order of
the letters as written in the triangle congruence statement.
For example, if A is first in one statement and X is first
in the other, then A always corresponds to X in
congruence statements for that relationship or figure.

#11
X

!A " !X
!B " !Y
!C " !Z

AB ! XY
BC ! YZ
AC ! XZ

You only need to know that three pairs of parts are congruent (sometimes in a
certain order) to prove that the two triangles are congruent. The Triangle
Congruence Properties are: SSS (Side-Side-Side), SAS (Side-Angle-Side; must
be in this order), ASA (Angle-Side-Angle), and HL (Hypotenuse-Leg). AAS is
an acceptable variation of ASA.
The four Triangle Congruence Properties are the only correspondences that may
be used to prove that two triangles are congruent. Once two triangles are know
to be congruent, then the other pairs of their corresponding parts are congruent.
In this course, you may justify this conclusion with the statement "congruent
triangles give us congruent parts." Remember: only use this statement after you
have shown the two triangles are congruent.

Example 1
C

In the figure at left, CA ! DO , CT ! DG , and

AT ! OG . Thus, !CAT " !DOG because of SSS.
Now that the triangles are congruent, it is also true
that !C " !D , !A " !O , and !T " !G .

Example 2

In the figure at right, RD ! CP , D P, and

ED ! AP . Thus RED CAP because of SAS.
Now RE ! CA , R C, and E A.
O

28

B C

Example 3

In the figure at left, O A, OX ! AR , and

X R. Thus, BOX CAR because of
ASA. Now B C, BO ! CA , and BX ! CR .
Extra Practice

Example 4

O E

In the figure at right, there are two right angles

(mN = mY = 90) and MO ! KE , and
ON ! EY . Thus, MON KEY because of
HL, so MN ! KY , M K, and O E.

N Y

Example 5
In the figure S Q, SR ! QR , and !SRT " !QRU

K
T

S
R

because of vertical angles. Thus SRT QRU by ASA.

Briefly explain if each of the following pairs of triangles are congruent or not. If so, state
the Triangle Congruence Property that supports your conclusion.
1.

2.
A

3.
G

4.

5.

M
W

6.

7.

8.
G

9.

M
S

10.

11.
T

13

X
W

12.

B
A

R
G

12
D

3
H

GEOMETRY Connections

29

13.

14.

R
K

39

P 112

39

C4
4F

12
Q

12

112

15.

E
Y

Answers
1. ABC DEF
by ASA.

2. GIH LJK by SAS.

3. PNM PNO
by SSS.

4. QS ! QS , so
QRS QTS by HL.

5. The triangles are not

necessarily congruent.

6. ABC DFE by
ASA or AAS.

7. GI ! GI , so
GHI IJG by SSS.

8. Alternate interior
angles = used twice, so
KLN NMK by
ASA.

9. Vertical angles at 0,
so POQ ROS
by SAS.

10. Vertical angles and/or 11. No, the length of each 12. Pythagorean Theorem,
alternate interior angles
hypotenuse is different.
so EGH IHG
=, so
by SSS.
TUX VWX
by ASA.
13. Sum of angles of
triangle = 180, but
since the equal angles
do not correspond, the
triangles are not
conguent.
30

14. AF + FC = FC + CD,
so ABC DEF by
SSS.

15. XZ ! XZ , so
WXZ YXZ
by AAS.

Extra Practice