Three Sides Fix It
Part of the Congruence & Proof section of Coddy's Geometry journey. Lesson 11 of 63.
Give someone three sticks and ask for a triangle. However they lay them, the triangle comes out the same: they can turn it or flip it, but the corners cannot change. Three lengths leave the triangle no room to move.
Here sides of 5 and 5 on a base of 6 meet at C, or at D below the base. The two triangles are mirror images, so one flipped over fits the other: they are congruent. That is why three pairs of equal sides are enough to prove two triangles congruent.
Challenge
Side AB is 4. Drag the corner C until AC is 5 and BC is 3. The board shows each length as you drag. Then press Check.
Try it yourself
Drag the figure and watch
This lesson includes a short quiz. Start the lesson to answer it and track your progress.
All lessons in Congruence & Proof
1What a Proof Is
Given and ProveStatements and ReasonsChaining Equal PartsYour First Full ProofRecap: A Chain of Reasons2Congruent Triangles
Same Size, Same ShapeMatching SidesMatching AnglesWhat Congruence GivesRecap: Matching Parts8Proofs with Vertical Angles
Vertical Angles in ProofsThe BowtieBowtie with ASALinear Pairs in ProofsRecap: Vertical Angles