Proving Triangles

Congruent
 Triangle Congruency Short-Cuts
If you can prove one of the following short cuts,
you have two congruent triangles
1. SSS (side-side-side)
2. SAS (side-angle-side)
3. ASA (angle-side-angle)
4. AAS (angle-angle-side)
5. HL (hypotenuse-leg) right triangles only!
Built – In Information in Triangles
Identify the ‘built-in’ part
 Shared side

SSS Vertical angles

Parallel lines
SAS
-> AIA

Shared side

SAS
SOME REASONS For Indirect Information

• Def of midpoint
• Def of a bisector
• Vert angles are congruent
• Def of perpendicular bisector
• Reflexive property (shared side)
• Parallel lines ….. alt int angles
• Property of Perpendicular Lines
This is called a common side.
It is a side for both triangles.

We’ll use the reflexive property.

HL ( hypotenuse leg ) is used
only with right triangles, BUT,
not all right triangles.

HL ASA
 Name That Postulate
(when possible)

Vertical
Angles
Reflexive
Property SAS SAS

Vertical Reflexive
Angles SAS Property SSA
 Let’s Practice
Indicate the additional information needed
to enable us to apply the specified
congruence postulate.

For ASA: B  D
For SAS: AC  FE
For AAS: A  F
 Determine if whether each pair of triangles is congruent by SSS,
SAS, ASA, or AAS. If it is not possible to prove that they are
congruent, write not possible.
Ex 4 G K

H J

ΔGIH  ΔJIK
Determine if whether each pair of triangles is congruent by
SSS, SAS, ASA, or AAS. If it is not possible to prove that
they are congruent, write not possible.

Ex 5
B A

D E

ΔABC  ΔEDC by ASA

Determine if whether each pair of triangles is congruent
by SSS, SAS, ASA, or AAS. If it is not possible to prove
that they are congruent, write not possible.

Ex 6 A E

B
D

ΔACB  ΔECD by SAS

Determine if whether each pair of triangles is congruent by
SSS, SAS, ASA, or AAS. If it is not possible to prove
that they are congruent, write not possible.

Ex 7 J K

M L

ΔJMK  ΔLKM by SAS or ASA

Determine if whether each pair of triangles is
congruent by SSS, SAS, ASA, or AAS. If it is
not possible to prove that they are congruent,
write not possible.
J T
Ex 8

L
K V U

Not possible
 Problem #4 AAS
Given: A  C A C
BE  BD B
Prove: ABE  CBD
E D
Statements Reasons
Given
Vertical Angles Thm

Given

4. ABE  CBD AAS Postulate

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 Problem #5 A
Given ABC, ADC right s,

AB  AD
Prove:

ABC  ADC B C D
Statements Reasons
1. ABC, ADC right s Given
HL
AB  AD Given
3. AC  AC Reflexive Property

4. ABC  ADC HL Postulate

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Congruence Proofs
1. Mark the Given.
2. Mark …
Reflexive Sides or Angles / Vertical Angles
Also: mark info implied by given info.
3. Choose a Method. (SSS , SAS, ASA)
4. List the Parts …
in the order of the method.
5. Fill in the Reasons …
why you marked the parts.
6. Is there more?
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 Given implies Congruent
Parts
midpoint  segments

parallel  angles

segment bisector  segments

angle bisector  angles

perpendicular  angles
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Example Problem
Given: AC bisects BAD A
AB  AD
Prove: ABC  ADC
B C D

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Step 1: Mark the Given … and
what it
implies
Given: AC bisects BAD A
AB  AD
Prove: ABC  ADC
B C D

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 •Reflexive Sides
Step 2: Mark . ..
•Vertical Angles
Given: AC bisects BAD A
AB  AD
Prove: ABC  ADC
B C D

… if they exist.
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Step 3: Choose a Method
Given: AC bisects BAD A
AB  AD
Prove: ABC  ADC
B C D
SSS
SAS
ASA
AAS
HL
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Step 4: List the Parts
Given: AC bisects BAD A
AB  AD
Prove: ABC  ADC
B C D
STATEMENTS REASONS

S AB  AD

A BAC  DAC
S AC  AC
… in the order of the Method
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Step 5: Fill in the Reasons
Given: AC bisects BAD A
AB  AD
Prove: ABC  ADC
B C D
STATEMENTS REASONS

S AB  AD Given

A BAC  DAC Def. of Bisector

S AC  AC Reflexive (prop.)
(Why did you mark those parts?)
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Step 6: Is there more?

Given: AC bisects BAD A

AB  AD
Prove: ABC  ADC
B C D
STATEMENTS REASONS

S 1. AB  AD 1. Given
2. AC bisects BAD 2. Given
A 3. BAC  DAC 3. Def. of Bisector
S 4. AC  AC 4. Reflexive (prop.)
5. ABC  ADC 5. SAS (pos.) 50
Congruent Triangles Proofs
1. Mark the Given and what it implies.
2. Mark … Reflexive Sides / Vertical Angles
3. Choose a Method. (SSS , SAS, ASA)
4. List the Parts …
in the order of the method.
5. Fill in the Reasons …
why you marked the parts.
6. Is there more?
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 Using Corresponding Parts of
Congruent Triangles are Congruent
(CPCTC) in Proofs

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• According to the definition of
congruence, if two triangles are
congruent, their corresponding parts
(sides and angles) are also congruent.

• This means that two sides or angles

that are not marked as congruent can
be proven to be congruent if they are
part of two congruent triangles.

• This reasoning, when used to prove

congruence, is abbreviated CPCTC,
which stands for Corresponding Parts of
Congruent Triangles are Congruent.
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Corresponding Parts of
Congruent Triangles
• For example, can you prove that sides AD and BC
are congruent in the figure at right?
• The sides will be congruent if triangle ADM is
congruent to triangle BCM.
– Angles A and B are congruent because they are
marked.
– Sides MA and MB are congruent because they are
marked.
– Angles 1 and 2 are congruent because they are
vertical angles.
– So triangle ADM is congruent to triangle BCM by ASA.
• This means sides AD and BC are congruent by
CPCTC.
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• A two column proof that sides AD and BC
are congruent in the figure at right is
shown below:

Statement Reason
MA  MB Given
A  B Given
1  2 Vertical angles
DADM  DBCM ASA
AD  BC CPCTC
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• Sometimes it is necessary to add an
auxiliary line in order to complete a proof
• For example, to prove ÐR @ ÐO in this
picture

Statement Reason
FR  FO Given
RU  OU Given
UF  UF reflexive prop.
FRU  FOU SSS
R  O CPCTC
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