Congruent

3 Triangles

Be careful dear–
it could be a scam!

Chapter Contents
3:01 Congruent triangles SGS5·2·2 3:04 Deducing properties of the special
3:02 Applying the congruency tests SGS5·2·2 triangles SGS5·2·2
Fun Spot: What do you call a man with 3:05 Deducing properties of the special
a shovel? quadrilaterals SGS5·2·2
3:03 Using congruent triangles to find Maths Terms, Diagnostic Test, Revision
sides and angles SGS5·2·2 Assignment, Working Mathematically

Learning Outcomes
SGS5·2·2 Develops and applies results for proving that triangles are congruent or similar.
Working Mathematically Stages 5·2·1–5
1 Questioning, 2 Applying Strategies, 3 Communicating, 4 Reasoning, 5 Reflecting

62
3:01 Congruent Triangles Outcome SGS5·2·2

• Congruent figures are the same shape and size. When one is superimposed on the other, they
coincide exactly.
• Congruent figures are produced by translations, reflections and rotations.
• When congruent figures are placed on top of each other so that they coincide exactly, the
matching sides and angles are obviously equal. The word corresponding is often used instead
of matching.

Prep Quiz 3:01

A B C D

1 Which figure is congruent to figure A?

2 Which figure is congruent to figure B?

A F L Q The figures to the left are congruent.

E
3 Name the angle that matches ∠A.
D P O
4 Name the side that matches FE.

B C M N

A E
O The figures to the left are congruent.
5 Name the angle that matches ∠B.
D 6 Name the side that matches AB.
P N
7 Name the angle that matches ∠N.
B C L M

Are the following pairs of triangles congruent?

8 9 10

Congruent triangles
• In geometry, we are often asked to show that two sides or two angles are equal. A common way
of doing this is by showing that they are the matching sides or angles of congruent triangles.
• To check that two triangles are congruent, we would normally need to compare six pieces of
information (three sides and three angles).
• In the next exercise we will investigate the minimum conditions for congruent triangles.
A minimum condition is the smallest amount of information that we need to know about
two triangles before we can say they are congruent.

Chapter 3 Congruent Triangles 63

 Exercise 3:01

5 cm
60°
cm
3c

3
m

4 cm 50° 50° 60°

What is the
least I need
to know?

3 cm

60°
3 cm

Use the diagrams above to answer questions 1 and 2.

1 Are two triangles congruent if they:
a have only one side equal? b have only one angle equal?
c have only two sides equal? d have two angles equal?
e have one side and one angle equal?
2 Can we be sure that two triangles are congruent if we can compare only two pieces of
information on each one?
To compare three pieces of information we could compare:
• three sides
• two sides and one angle
• one side and two angles
• three angles
3 a When a photograph is enlarged, are:
i the angles in the photo and enlargement the same?
ii the photo and the enlargement congruent?
b If two triangles have their three angles equal, does it mean they are congruent?

64 New Signpost Mathematics Enhanced 10 5.1–5.2

4 Copy one of the following triangles onto paper and cut it out.
C
F

D E
A B
a Do the triangles have their sides equal in length?
b By superimposing the cut-out triangle over the other triangle, see if the triangles are
congruent.
c Do the triangles have the same sized angles?
5 Construct or trace one of the triangles below and cut it out.
F
A

5 cm 4 cm 6 cm
4 cm

B C
6 cm D E
5 cm

a By placing the cut-out triangle over the other triangle, find out if the two triangles are
congruent.
b Name the pairs of matching (or corresponding) angles.

In questions 4 and 5, the triangles with matching sides of equal length were congruent.
We say that three pairs of sides equal is a minimum condition for congruent triangles. It is
abbreviated to SSS.

6
60°

3 cm
3 cm

60°
4 cm
4 cm
a Do the triangles above have two sides and one angle equal?
b Are the triangles congruent? (Check by measuring the third side.)

Chapter 3 Congruent Triangles 65

 7 The diagram shows a triangle with sides AB and AC of given lengths. The angle CAB is allowed
to vary in size so that C moves on a circle, radius AC, centre A.
C a What happens to the length of BC as ∠BAC
gets bigger?
C b If you fix ∠BAC at a certain size (say 30°) is it
3 cm possible to get two different lengths for BC?
C

cm
3
3c Yes, and for each angle
m I see! The angle size
size, there is only one
determines the length
corresponding length.
A B of BC.
2 cm

8 Construct or trace the triangle shown on a piece C

of paper.
a Measure BC to the nearest millimetre.
b Is it possible to get more than one triangle
4 cm
from this information?
c Cut your triangle out and compare it with
the triangles of other students in your class. 60°
Are they all congruent? A 5 cm B

9 Construct or trace one of the triangles below and cut it out.

A E 5 cm D
120°

3 cm
3 cm

120°
B 5 cm C F
a Is AC = EF?
b By superimposing, find if ΔABC is congruent to ΔDEF.

In questions 6 to 9, we found that when two sides and the angle between them in
one triangle are equal to two sides and the angle between them in the other triangle then the
triangles are congruent.
It is important that the angle is included by (ie between) the two sides. This is a minimum
condition for congruent triangles, and is abbreviated to SAS.

66 New Signpost Mathematics Enhanced 10 5.1–5.2

10 In each of the following triangles, the angles match, and one side in each has the same length.
Construct or copy each triangle and cut it out.

60° 50°
70°
I II
III
60° 50°
70° 50°
2·5 cm
2·5 cm 60° 70°
2·5 cm

The sides opposite

equal angles are
50°
matching sides.
60°
70°
VI
IV V
50° 70° 50° 60° 70° 60°
2·5 cm 2·5 cm 2·5 cm
a Which triangles are congruent?
b For each pair of congruent triangles, how could you describe the position of the 2.5 cm side?
11 Construct or copy each triangle and cut it out.
L

D 40°
A
60°
80°

60° 40°
B 4 cm C 80° 40°
E 4 cm F

80° 60°
M 4 cm N
a Which angle is the 4 cm side opposite in: X
i ΔABC? ii ΔDEF? iii ΔLMN?
60°
b Which of the triangles shown is congruent to ΔXYZ?
c How could you describe the position of the
4 cm side in each of the congruent triangles?

40° 80°
Y Z
4 cm

Questions 10 and 11 have shown us that if the angles of one triangle are equal to the
angles of another triangle, and a side in one is equal to a side in the same position of the
other, then the triangles are congruent. This is the third minimum condition, and is
abbreviated to AAS.

Chapter 3 Congruent Triangles 67

 12 The fourth set of minimum conditions is restricted
to right-angled triangles only. The hypotenuse is the longest
Copy one of the triangles below and cut it out. side. For this reason,
Does your cut-out match both triangles? Pythagoras’ theorem says:
C c2 = a2 + b2
D

5 cm
4 cm

b c

E 5 cm F
A 4 cm B
a
a Write down the pairs of matching sides.
b Are the triangles congruent?
13 The two right-angled triangles shown have their hypotenuse and one side equal in length.
a Write down Pythagoras’ theorem for
each triangle.
c m
a b b By rearranging the formula, show
that a = m.
b c c Are the triangles congruent?

Questions 12 and 13 have shown us that two right-angled triangles are congruent if the
hypotenuse and one side of one triangle are equal to the hypotenuse and one side of the
other triangle. This is the fourth condition, and is abbreviated to RHS.

Summary
• Two triangles are congruent if three sides of one
triangle are equal to three sides of the other. (SSS)
• Two triangles are congruent if two sides and the
included angle of one triangle are equal to two sides
and the included angle of the other. (SAS)
• Two triangles are congruent if two angles and a side • SSS means
of one triangle are equal to two angles and the ‘side, side, side’.
matching side of the other. (AAS) • SAS means
• Two right-angled triangles are congruent if the ‘side, angle, side’.
hypotenuse and one side of one triangle are equal • AAS means
to the hypotenuse and one side of the other ‘angle, angle, side’.
triangle. (RHS) • RHS means
• The symbol ≡ means ‘is congruent to’. ‘right angle,
hypotenuse, side’.

68 New Signpost Mathematics Enhanced 10 5.1–5.2

3:02 Applying the Outcome SGS5·2·2

Congruency Tests
Prep Quiz 3:02
A D Name the side that corresponds to:
5 3 5 1 AC 2 AB 3 BC
B 6 C 6 E
3 Name the angle that corresponds to:
F
4 ∠A 5 ∠B 6 ∠C
L P
Name the side that corresponds to:
7 LM 8 MN
M N Q R
X
A
60° x° 9 Find the value of x.
10 Are the 2-cm sides corresponding?
70° 50° 50° 60°
Y 2 cm Z B 2 cm C

The minimum conditions deduced in the last section are used to prove that two triangles are
congruent. Special care must be taken in exercises that involve overlapping triangles.
Worked examples
1 Why is ΔABC congruent to ΔDEF? Solutions
A
E 1 ΔABC and ΔDEF have
all their sides equal.
6 cm 5 cm 8 cm
5 cm ∴ ΔABC ≡ ΔDEF (SSS)
B 8 cm C F 6 cm D
■ Note: ≡ means
2 Which of the congruency tests can be ‘is congruent to’.
used to show that ΔABC is congruent
to ΔDBC? If ABC is
congruent
C D to DEF,
we write
2 ABC  DEF

C D
A B
3 Are these two triangles congruent?
A Z A B
70° The red markings show the equal sides and
4 cm 4 cm equal angle. ΔABC and ΔDCB have two
60° 50° 60° 70° sides and an included angle equal.
B C X Y ∴ ΔABC ≡ ΔDCB (SAS) continued ➜➜➜

Chapter 3 Congruent Triangles 69

 3 • Because we are only given the length of one side,
we cannot use SSS, SAS or RHS conditions. To prove two triangles
• Hence, we can only look at the AAS condition. are congruent, use one
• We can see that both triangles have the same angles, of these:
1 SSS 2 SAS
as the missing angle in ΔXYZ must be 50° because
3 AAS 4 RHS
the angle sum of a triangle is 180°.
• Now, the 4-cm side is opposite the 50° angle in
ΔABC and opposite the 60° angle in ΔXYZ.
• Hence, the sides are not matching.
• Therefore the triangles are not congruent.

Exercise 3:02
1 The following pairs of triangles are congruent.
State the congruence condition used to establish the
congruence. All side lengths are in the same units.
a

10 10

6 6

b c

6 7 8 7
10
60°
8 10
6 60°

d e
80°
5 4 5
40°
50° 80° 40°
50° 5 5
4

f 5 g
50° 55°
8
8 7

5
55° 75° 75° 50°
7

70 New Signpost Mathematics Enhanced 10 5.1–5.2

2 State whether the triangles in the following pairs are congruent. For those that are, state the
congruence condition used.
a b

10 8 6 10 10
6 5 6

10 8
8 8

c d
60° 70°
60°

8
5 50° 8 10
50°
50° 70° 50°
5 10

e 5 f 5·5
40°
110°
5·5 4·4
40°
5
110°
4·4

3 The following pairs of triangles are congruent. State the congruence condition used to establish
the congruence.
a b c
40°
4 3 3 cm
5 3
4 3 cm

40°

d e f
50°
O O
50°

O is the centre
of the circle. O is the centre
of both circles.

g h i

Chapter 3 Congruent Triangles 71

 4 Show why each of the following statements is true.
a ΔACY ≡ ΔABX b ΔADB ≡ ΔBCA c ΔAOB ≡ ΔODC
D C C B
A
D
A

O
A B
AB = CD
B C
X Y

d ΔDBC ≡ ΔECB e ΔABC ≡ ΔDCB f ΔBDE ≡ ΔCFE

A A D B

F
D A
E
D E
B BD = CA C
C
B C

Fun Spot 3:02 What do you call a man with a shovel?

Work out the answer to each part and put the letter for that part in the box above the correct
answer.
Which congruence test can be used to state why the triangles in each pair are congruent?
D U O G

30° 30°
RHS

AAS
SAS
SSS

72 New Signpost Mathematics Enhanced 10 5.1–5.2

3:03 Using Congruent Outcome SGS5·2·2

Triangles to Find Sides and Angles

If two congruent triangles can be shown to be congruent, then, of course, all corresponding sides
and angles are equal.
Using congruent triangles to find the values of unknown angles and sides or to prove relationships
is very important in geometry.

Worked examples
1 Show that ΔABC ≡ ΔDFE and hence 2 State why ΔACB ≡ ΔDCB and hence
find the length of DE. find the value of AB.
A D A
8 cm
8 cm 110° C
6 cm B
110°
110°
B
10
7 cm cm
C E 7 cm F D

Solutions
1 ΔABC ≡ ΔDFE (SAS) 2 ΔACB and ΔDCB have two sides
∴ DE = AC (matching sides of and an included angle equal.
cong’t Δs) ∴ ΔACB ≡ ΔDCB (SAS)
∴ DE = 6 cm ∴ AB = DB (matching sides of cong’t Δs)
∴ AB = 10 cm

Foundation Worksheet 3:03

Exercise 3:03 Using congruent triangles SGS4·4·, SGS5·2·2
1 Each pair of triangles is congruent.
1 In each of the following, state why ΔABC ≡ ΔDEF Write down the pairs of matching sides and angles.
and hence find the value of DE. a C F
20
a C F
20
A 60° B D 60° E
25 25
15 cm 15 cm b C F

50° 100°
A 10 cm B D E 50° 100°
D E
A B
15 15
2 State why each pair of triangles are congruent and
hence find the value of the pronumeral.
b A D a
35·5
20 20 x
105° 105°
25 25
10 cm 3 Find the value of the pronumeral, giving a reason
for your answer..
a
26·5 20
B C E F x°
6 cm 6 cm 41° 26·5
20

Chapter 3 Congruent Triangles 73

 c A D d A D

8 cm
7 cm C
50° 50° F
B C E F
60° 60°
B E

e C F f B 9 cm C
10 10
cm cm cm
6
m
14 c E
A B D F
7·8 cm E A

m
14 c
D

2 Find the value of the pronumeral in each of the following, giving reasons for your answer.
a A F b X L
x cm
38·5 cm E
40° 40°
20 cm 30 cm
100° 20 cm
100°
B 30 cm C D
Y 12·2 cm Z M b cm N

c A 2·2 c D 2·2 cm E d A B
m 30°
2·1 cm 30° C a cm
3·7 cm x°
D
3·7 cm 22° C
B
F
50°
E

e A 27 m C D f A D 37·5 cm E
48° x°
20 m 20 m xm 31 cm
60° 31 m 31 cm
60°
B F 31 m E 48° 54°
B 37·5 cm C
F

3 Find the value of the pronumeral in each of the following, giving reasons for your answer.
a A b A c D
120°
8
cm
70

B D O C
°

70
A xc °
a° m
B 4 cm D x cm C
C
B

74 New Signpost Mathematics Enhanced 10 5.1–5.2

 d A D e B f E D
x° 19 m 34 m 85°
F
49°
98° C 60° x° C
A
29° 60° a°
B E A B
34 m 19 m
∠EAB = ∠DBA = 70°; AE = BD
D

3:04 Deducing Properties Outcome SGS5·2·2

of the Special Triangles

In the following exercise, the congruent triangle results are used to establish the properties of
isosceles and equilateral triangles.

Exercise 3:04
1 A ΔABC has two sides equal in length. A line is drawn
perpendicular to BC through A.
a Why is ΔABD ≡ ΔACD?
b Why does ∠ABD = ∠ACD?
c Why does ∠BAD = ∠DAC?
d Why does BD = CD?
B C
D

You have proved that if a triangle has two equal sides, then:
• the angles opposite the equal sides are equal
• a line drawn at right angles to the base through the third vertex bisects the base and the vertical
angle.

2 A ΔABC has two angles equal. Draw AD ⊥ BC and use

congruent triangles to show that AB = AC.

B C

3 A ΔABC has two sides equal in length. A line is drawn from

A to the midpoint of BC.
a Why is ΔABD ≡ ΔACD?
b Why does ∠ADB = ∠ADC?
c What is the size of ∠BDC?
B C d What is the size of ∠ADB?
D e What property of an isosceles triangle have you
proved?

Chapter 3 Congruent Triangles 75

 4 A a ΔABC has all its sides equal. Use the result that if a triangle
has two equal sides then the angles opposite the equal sides
are equal to prove the following:
∠A = ∠B = ∠C
b How can the result in part a be used to show that each angle
B C
of an equilateral triangle is 60°?

5 A ΔABC has three equal angles. In the first diagram, a

perpendicular has been drawn from A to BC, while in
the second diagram, the perpendicular has been drawn
from C to AB.
a Why is ΔABD ≡ ΔACD?
B C b Why is AB = AC?
D
c Why is ΔCBE ≡ ΔCAE?
A d Why is BC = AC?
You have proved that if a triangle has three equal angles then it
E
has three equal sides.

B C

3:05 Deducing Properties of Outcome SGS5·2·2

the Special Quadrilaterals
When a knowledge of congruent triangles is combined with the geometrical work encountered
earlier, many of the properties of the special quadrilaterals can be established. These are
investigated in the following exercise.

Exercise 3:05
1 ABCD is a parallelogram.
A B
D C
a Why does ∠BAC equal ∠DCA?
b Why does ∠BCA equal ∠DAC?
c Does ∠BAD equal ∠BCD?
d Why is ΔABC ≡ ΔCDA? Hence, state why:
i ∠ABC = ∠CDA
ii AB = DC and BC = AD

You have established that the opposite sides and opposite angles of a parallelogram are equal.

76 New Signpost Mathematics Enhanced 10 5.1–5.2

2 Using the fact that the opposite sides of a parallelogram A B
are equal, state why ΔABE ≡ ΔCDE and hence why
AE = EC and BE = ED.
E
This question shows that the diagonals of a parallelogram
D C
bisect each other.
3 A rhombus is a parallelogram with all its sides equal.
A a Why is ΔABD ≡ ΔCBD?
b Why is ∠ABD = ∠CBD?
c Why is ∠ADB = ∠CDB?
B D

A
d Why is ΔABC ≡ ΔADC?
e Why is ∠BAC = ∠DAC?
B D
f Why is ∠BCA = ∠DCA?

4 A B a Why does AE = EC?

b State why ΔABE ≡ ΔCBE. Hence, state why
∠AEB = ∠CEB = 90°.
E

D C

The last two questions have shown that the diagonals of a rhombus bisect each other at right
angles, and that they bisect the angles through which they pass.
5 A B A rectangle is a parallelogram with a right angle.
a Prove that all the angles must be right angles.
b Assuming the answer to part a and the properties of a
parallelogram, state why ΔABD ≡ ΔDCA and, hence,
D C state why AC = DB.

This question proves that all the angles of a rectangle are right angles and that its diagonals are
equal in length.
6 A square is a rectangle with a pair of adjacent sides equal. D C
Using this definition and the properties of the rectangle,
write down as many properties of the square as you can.
E

A B

Chapter 3 Congruent Triangles 77

 1 23 Literacy in Maths Maths terms 3
congruent triangles matching angles (or sides)
• Triangles that are identical in shape • Angles or sides that are in the same or
and size. corresponding positions in congruent figures.
congruency tests A B D E
• A set of four tests used to prove that two
triangles are congruent.
• The tests are usually referred to by the C F
abbreviations SSS, SAS, AAS and RHS.
• Matching angles in the triangles above are
Maths terms 3 ∠A and ∠D, ∠B and ∠E, ∠C and ∠F.
• Matching sides are AC and DF, AB and DE,
BC and EF.

Diagnostic Test 3 Congruent Triangles

• Each part of this test has similar items that test a certain type of question.
• Errors made will indicate areas of weakness.
• Each weakness should be treated by going back to the section listed.
These questions can be used to assess parts of outcome SGS5·2·2.

Section
1 State the congruence condition that can be used to show that the pairs of 3:02
triangles are congruent.
a 18 b 15
120°
25
18
120°
25
15

c d
50°
20
50°
20

2 State why the two triangles are congruent. 3:02

a A B b c B A
A C B

E
O 30°
C D 30° D

78 New Signpost Mathematics Enhanced 10 5.1–5.2

   Section
3 Find the value of the pronumeral in each of the following. 3:03
a b
70° 7·3 22 21
20 22
x
20
70° 21 x
7·3

c 30 d
50°
40° 12 x
x°
30 48°

4 a Prove that b Prove that c Prove that

∠ABD = ∠ACD. ∠AOB = ∠COD. AX = AY. 3:03
A A A
B

C
E O
B C
D B X Y C

Revision Chapter 3 Revision Assignment

1 From the triangles below, select the triangle that is congruent to:
a triangle A b triangle B c triangle C d triangle D

m 17
m

m
m m 75°
17

m
20 m 20 C G
17

A
mm

E
23 mm 75° 40°
28 mm 20 mm

17 mm
20 mm
15
m
m
mm

I
20 mm

75° 40°
mm
17

B H
m

20

J
m

20 mm
28

75° 40°

23
20
17 mm
m

m
m

m
20 m

F K L
D 75°
75° 17 mm 23 mm 17 mm
17 mm

Chapter 3 Congruent Triangles 79