UNIT 4: Congruency and Similarity of Triangles

KEYWORDS FOR THE UNIT

Transformation Reflection Translation

Rotation Image Pre – image
Angle Side Proof
Ratio Similarity Ratio A-A
A-S-A S-S-S S-A-S
Similarity Congruency Theorem
Euclid Pythagorean Clockwise
Counter-clockwise
OBJECTIVES

- Make inferences about geometric transformations

- Make inferences about the minimum conditions necessary for two triangles to be congruent
or similar
- Create similar triangles based on a given triangle by using reflection
- Prove Thales, Euclid and Pythagorean Theorems
- Make inferences about congruency and similarity
- Solve problems involving congruency and similarity

TRANSFORMATIONS

Transformation: maps, or moves, the original figure onto the new figure.

TYPES OF TRANSFORMATIONS

Example: Label the following as a Reflection, Rotation, Translation

ROTATIONS
Directions:
• Graph the pre-image.
• Rotate the figure as directed.
• Use different colors to label each translation.
• Show all work.

Example: A Triangle NGA

*Note – Assume you are rotating counterclockwise around the origin unless otherwise stated.

Pre-Image Rotated CCW 90° Rotated CCW 180° Rotated CCW 270°
(CW 270°) (CW 180°) (CW 90°)
(-y, x) (-x, -y) (y, -x)

N(2, 0) ( , ) ( , ) ( , )

G(4, 4) ( , ) ( , ) ( , )

A(5, – 2) ( , ) ( , ) ( , )
Example 1: Rotate each figure about the origin using the given angle and direction.

90° Counterclockwise

Pre-image. Image

180° clockwise

Pre-image. Image
Exercise 2:

Where will the L-Shape be if it is…?

a. rotated 90° counterclockwise around the origin? b. rotated 270° clockwise around the
origin?

Pre-image. Image Pre-image. Image

Exercise 3:
Find the coordinates of the vertices of each figure after the given transformation.

a) Rotation 180° about the origin b) Rotation 90° clockwise about the origin
Z(−1, −5),K(−1,0), C(1,1), N(3, −2) T(1, −4), H(1,0), M(3, −4)

The intersection point of the lines is referred to as the center of rotation, and the value of the angle,
which is twice the angle between the lines, is called the angle of rotation.
 REFLECTIONS AND TRANSLATIONS

Directions:
• Graph the original coordinates.
• Graph its reflection over both the x-axis and the y-axis.
• Use different colors to label each reflection.
• Show all work.

Exercise:

1) Triangle MNP with vertices M(-8, 4) , N (-3, 8) , and P (-2, 2)

Pre-image Reflected over x-axis (__, __)

M(-8, 4)

N (-3, 8)

P (-2, 2)

2) Pre-image Reflected over y-axis (__, __)

M(-8, 4)

N (-3, 8)

P (-2, 2)
3) Triangle EFG with vertices E(-5, -2) , F (-2, 3) , and G (2, -3) translated (x, y) → (x+6, y - 3)

Preimage Translate (x, y) .→ (x + 6, y - 3)

E(-5, -2)

F (-2, 3)

G (2, -3)

4) reflection across the y-axis

 5) translation (x, y) → (x - 3, y – 4) 6) Rotation 90° counter-clockwise about the origin

7) Find the coordinates of the vertices of each figure after the given transformation

a) translation 3 units left and 3 units down. b) reflection across the x-axis
X(3,2) Y(-2,-1)

c) rotation 180° about the origin d) rotation 270° CCW about the origin
J(-5,3) M(-3,2)
8) Write a rule to describe each transformation.

a) b)

9) Find the transformation applied to triangle KLM to obtain triangle K'L'M'.

Properties of Reflection Transformations

Examine the provided information and follow the steps in order to answer the questions.

On a grid, the reflections of region ABCDE with respect to line d and region KLM with respect to
line k are given. The reflections of regions ABCDE and KLM with respect to the specified lines are
denoted as regions A'B'C'D'E' and K'L'M', respectively.

Property Assumptions (Change or the same?)

Lengths of the shape
Angle measures of the shape
Perimeter of the shape
Area of the shape
Distance of a point on the shape to its
reflected image
Distance of the shape and its image from the
line of reflection

Find m(𝐶n ).

Find |CD|.

Compare the line segments AB and A’B’.

A reflection transformation is a transformation that maps all points in a plane to other points in the
plane while preserving distances between points. When a reflection transformation is applied to a
shape with respect to a line, that line is called the line of reflection. The distance of a point on the
shape and its image to the line of reflection is equal. A shape and its image under reflection with
respect to a line are congruent.
Example: On the grid next to you, a triangular region ABC and line d are given. The line intersects the
sides of the triangle at points K and L. Answer the following questions:

a)Construct the image of the triangular region

ABC under reflection with respect to the line d.
Name the vertices of the triangle you reflected.

b) How points K and M change?

COMPOSITIONS OF TRANSFORMATIONS

Composition of transformations is a series of multiple

transformations performed one after the other.

Directions:

• Graph the original coordinates.

• Then, apply the listed transformations.

• Graph the new images.

• Be sure to draw each new image in a new color.

Example 1: Triangle KLM has vertices K(4, -1), L(5, -2), and M(1, -4). Rotate triangle KLM 180°
about the origin and then reflect it across the y-axis.
2. Trapezoid MATH has vertices as M(-4, 0), A(0,2), T(0,-2), H(-4,-2). Translate Trapezoid MATH
from (x, y) → (x – 2, y +3) and then reflect it over the y-axis.

What pairings of transformations can you think of for which order

would matter? For which compositions would order not matter?
3. The endpoints of CD are C(1, 2) and D(5, 4). Graph the pre-image of CD if it is
Reflected across the x-axis, followed by Translation: (x – 4, y)

4. Specify the sequence of transformations that occurred.

6. In the diagram, AB is the pre-image of a combination.

a) Which segment is a translation of AB?

b) Write a rule to describe the translation for #12.

c) Which segment is a reflection of A’B’?

d) Name the line of reflection for #14.

7. Examine the provided information and follow the steps to answer the questions.
On a grid, the regions ABCD, EFGH, and PRS have been translated to produce their images.
The translated images of regions ABCD, EFGH, and PRS are denoted as A'B'C'D', E'F'G'H', and P'R'S',
respectively.

a) To address the questions about the translation transformations, you need to determine the
translation vectors (horizontal – vertical) and directions (left-right, up-down) by comparing
the original shapes and their translated images. Then fill in the table:

Shape Translation Vector Direction Shifting

ABCD
EFGH
PRS
b) After identifying the translation transformations applied to the shapes, write which properties
change and which remain unchanged.

c) In the table below, properties of shapes and their images under translation transformations
are given. Write your assumptions about whether the properties listed in the table change or
remain unchanged in the corresponding fields of the table, as shown in the example. Indicate
if there is a relationship between the distances of points on the shape and their images.

Property Assumption
Side lengths of the shape
Angle measures of the shape
Perimeter of the shape
Area of the shape
Distance from a point on the
shape to its image
Location of the shape in the plane

d) For the shape ABCD and A’B’C’D’. find the measure of the lengths of the sides and angles then
compare them.
 CONGRUENCY & SIMILARITY

Congruent Triangles:

Definition: Two triangles are said to be congruent if and only if they have the same three side
lengths and the same three angle measures. In other words, two triangles that have the same size
and shape are called congruent triangles.

If one to one correspondence between and is a congruence relation, then they are
congruent triangles, and this relation is denoted by;

$ ) = __________
m( 𝐵𝐴𝐶
$)
" ________ = m( 𝐷𝐸𝐹 and
$ ) = _________
m( 𝐵𝐶𝐴

Example 1:

∆ ∆
& ' = 2𝑦 + 20°, 𝑚"𝐴𝐶𝐵
If 𝑚"𝐵𝐴𝐶 & ' = 2𝑥 − 10°, 𝑚"𝑅𝑃𝑆
5 ' = 𝑥 + 30°, 𝑚"𝑃𝑆𝑅
5 ' = 3𝑦 − 10° and 𝑃𝑆𝑅 ≅ 𝐴𝐶𝐵, then
&
find 𝑚"𝐴𝐵𝐶 '.
 1-Side Angle Side (SAS) Postulate

} ~ = 𝑚(𝐶𝐴𝐵
Example 2: In the figure below; |AD| = |AB| and 𝑚|𝐷𝐴𝐶 } ) are given. Find x.

2x-5

A C

x+4
B

Example 3: In the figure; |AB| = |AC|, |BD| = |EC|, |AD|= 8 − 𝑥 cm and |AE|= 𝑥 − 4 cm are given.
Find x.
Example 4: In the given figure

|AE| = 5cm
|BD| = |FC| = 9 cm
|ED| = |DF| = 12 cm
|ED| ⊥ |BC|
|DF| ⊥ |AC|

Find |AF|.

2- Angle Side Angle (ASA) Postulate:

Example 5: In the figure, |AE| = |ED|, [AE] [ED], [AB] [BC], [BC] [DC], |𝐴𝐵| = 6, |𝐷𝐶| = 4 are
given. Find |BC|.
Example 6: In the figure, |AC| = |ED|, [AB] [AC], [ED] [BC], [AC] [DC], |BE|=2cm,
|DC| =10cm are given. Find |EC| = x.

} ~ = 𝑚(𝐷𝐴𝐶
Example 7: ABC is a triangle with |AB| = |AC|, 𝑚|𝐵𝐴𝐸 } ), |AD| = 3x – 1 , |AE| = 2x + 5
and |BD| = 2x + 1. Find |EC|.

3- Side Side Side (SSS)Postulate:

!
!"# ! !!!!!!!!!
Example 8: In the given figure

|BD| = |AF| = 4 cm
|BE| = |AD| = 2 cm
|DE| = |DF|

Find |EC| = x

Example 9: In rectangle ABCD, triangle DKL is folded along line [KL] to obtain triangle PKL.

Determine which of the following is always

true.
I. }~
[KL] is angle bisector of |𝐷𝐿𝑃
II. |𝐷𝐾| = |𝐾𝑃|
III. |𝐷𝐿| = |𝐿𝑃|
IV. [𝐷𝑃] ⊥ [𝐾𝐿]

Example 10: (2015 LYS)

C In the figure, ABC and ADE are equilateral

2 triangles. If the point D is on BC, then find x.
E 4

A B
x
 SIMILARITY
Enlargement

Watch the video and differentiate between similarity and congruency:

https://youtu.be/h7ZAQfNh8XA

Example 1:

Solution:

C…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
D…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
E…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
F…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Example 2:
 SIMILARITY OF TRIANGLES

Definition: If all the corresponding angles of two triangles are congruent and lengths of all
corresponding sides are proportional, then these two triangles are said to be similar triangles.

∆ ∆ ∆ ∆
If 𝐴𝐵𝐶 is similar to 𝐷𝐸𝐹 . Then it is shown as 𝐴𝐵𝐶 ~ 𝐷𝐸𝐹

∆ ∆
and 𝐴𝐵𝐶 ~ 𝐷𝐸𝐹

NOTE: k is called the similarity ratio (scale factor). This ratio for congruent triangles is 1.

∆ ∆ !
Example 1: In the given figure, 𝐴𝐵𝐶 ~ 𝐴𝐷𝐸 , scale factor of similarity is and |𝐴𝐵| = 9𝑐𝑚
"
} ~.
a) Find 𝑚|𝐴𝐷𝐸 b) Find |𝐴𝐷|
 Angle-Angle (AA) Postulate:
If two angles of a triangle are congruent to two angles of another triangle, then these two
triangles are like each other. In other words;

Example 2: ABC is a triangle, [ED] // [BC], |𝐴𝐵| = 33 𝑐𝑚, find |𝐴𝐸|

Example 3: ABC is a triangle, [DE] // [BC], |𝐴𝐸| = 3|𝐸𝐶| , find 𝑥 + 𝑦

Example 4:
In the given figure,
[AB] // [CD]
⏐BE⏐ = 3 cm
⏐CE⏐= 5 cm
⏐AE⏐ = (x+2) cm
⏐ED⏐= (2x-1) cm
Find ⏐AD⏐.

Example 5: In the given figure,

Find |𝐸𝐶| = 𝑥

Example 6: ABC is a triangle, [AB] // [CD], |𝐵𝐷| = 12 𝑐𝑚 , find |𝐸𝐷| = 𝑥

Example 7: In the given figure,

} ) = 𝑚(𝐸𝐶𝐷
𝑚(𝐴𝐵𝐷 })

⏐AE⏐ = 3 cm
⏐AD⏐= 4 cm
⏐EB⏐ = 5 cm
Find ⏐DC⏐= x.
Example 8:
In triangle ABC, m(ADE)=m(ACB), |AD| =5 cm ,
|AE| = 4 cm and |DB| = 3 cm are given. Find |EC|=x.

Example 9:
In triangle ABC, m(BAC)=m(ADC), |BC| =2 cm ,
|CD| = 6 cm. Find |AB|=x.

Example 10: In the given triangle ABC,

|BD| = 10 cm
|DC| = 6 cm
|EC| = 8 cm
Find |AE| = x
Example 11:
In the figure, ABC is a right triangle,
[𝐴𝐵] ⊥ [𝐴𝐶 ], |BG| =2 cm ,
|FC| = 6 cm. Find m(ADE).

Example 12:

In the figure, the path of a ball is given

when it is hit at the point A in a rectangular
billiard table.
} ~ = m| 𝐶𝐵𝐸
If m| 𝐴𝐵𝐷 } ~, |AD|=50 cm,

|EC|=150 cm and |FC|=240 cm, then find

|EB| in cm ?

Example 13:
Ahmet is 186 cm tall. He places a mirror between
the flag and the point that he is standing to
measure the height of the flag. If the distance
between Ahmet and mirror is 50 cm and the
distance between Ahmet and the flag is 200 cm,
find the height of the flag.
 Side-Angle-Side (SAS) Postulate

Example14:
In the figure,
|AB| = 6 cm, |AC| = 2 cm, |BC| = 5 cm,
|CD| = 6 cm and |CE| = 15 cm are given.
Find |DE| = x .

Example15:

In the triangle ABC, |AD| = 2 cm, |DC| = 6 cm,

|EC| = 4 cm, |BE| = 8 cm and |AB| = 10 cm

are given. Find |DE| = x.

Example 16:

In the figure, |AB| = 6 cm, |BC| = 8 cm,

|AC| = 9 cm, |CD| = 12 cm and
} ~ = 𝑚(𝐴𝐶𝐷
𝑚|𝐴𝐵𝐶 } ) are given. Find |AD|.

Side-Side-Side (SSS) Postulate

If the lengths of the corresponding sides of two triangles are proportional, then the
triangles are said to be similar.

Example 17: Are the triangles in this figure similar? If so, give the reason for similarity and write
the similarity statement below.
Example 18: In triangle ABC, |BD| = 10 cm, |BE| = 12 cm, |DE| = 8 cm, |FC| = 5 cm, |GC| = 6 cm,
|FG| = 4 cm and |AG| = 12 cm are given. Find |AD| = x.
A
x
12
D
G
10 8
4 6

B 12 E F 5 C

Example 19:
A model of a triangular field formed by posts and wires wrapped
around these posts is shown. A total of 16 posts have been
erected at equal intervals and are labeled with letters.
A wire is to be stretched between two selected posts to create
another triangular area. Given that the distance between posts
labeled a and t is 108 meters:
a) Determine which pairs of posts can be selected so that the length of the wire to be stretched
between them can be calculated without measurement.
b) Find out how many meters of wire are needed to be stretched between the posts labeled c and r.
Example 20:
Two climbers have started climbing from points B and C
of a mountain modeled as a triangle ABC towards the peak.
The climber starting from point C has climbed two-fifths of
the path and reached a height of 1500 meters at point D.
Meanwhile, the climber starting from point B has reached
point E, which is halfway along the path.
Given this information:
a) Determine the height of the mountain peak.
b) Find the height that the climber at point E has climbed.

Example 21:
ABCD and EFGH are squares. The vertices of the square EFGH are on the sides of square ABCD.
If |ED| = 7 unit , |GC| = 4 unit then find the perimeter of the square ABCD.
Example 22: In square ABCD, ADF and ABE are triangles; F ∈ [AB], E ∈ [BC], |AF| = |BE|,
|DG| = 9 cm,|FG| = 1 cm, |AG| = 3 cm, [DF] ∩ [AG] = {G} and |EG| = x cm.
According to the given information;

a) Find x.
} ).
b) Find m(𝑬𝑮𝑫

THALES, EUCLID AND PYTHAGREAN THEOREMS

Thales Theorem
If three or more parallel lines intersect two
transversals, then they divide the transversals
proportionally.
Namely, if 𝑑" // 𝑑# // 𝑑$ , then

|"#| |%&| |"#| |%&|

|#$|
= |&'|
or
|"$|
= |%'|

Proof:
Example 1: In the figure 𝑑" // 𝑑# // 𝑑$ . |AB|=(2x + 4) units and |BC| = 6 units and |DE|= 3x+6 units,
then find |EF|.

Example 2:

In the figure
[ED] // [BC]
|AD| = 4 cm
|DC| = 2 cm and
|EB| = 3 cm are given.
Find |AE| = x

Example 3:
E In triangle ABC; [DE] // [BC], |DB| = 3 cm,
|DE| = 6 cm, |AD| = x cm and
! |BC| = 7x + 1 cm are given. Find x.

#
) *

"
+ ,
A!BCBD
Example 4: In the given figure,

Find |KD| = x

Example 5: A
ABC is a triangle,
[𝐷𝐸 ]//[𝐵𝐶 ]
[𝐷𝐹 ]//[𝐵𝐸 ]

Find |EC| = x

Example 6:
In the given figure,
[𝐴𝐷]//[𝐹𝐸 ]//[𝐵𝐶 ]

Find |EF| = x
Example 7:
ABC is a triangle,
[𝐷𝐹 ]//[𝐵𝐶 ]
|𝐺𝐶| = 4. |𝐸𝐺|
|AD| = 1𝑐𝑚 and |BD| = 3𝑐𝑚,

Find |DE| = 𝑥

Example 8: Find |EF| = x

ACDF is a trapezoid,
[𝐴𝐹 ]//[𝐵𝐸 ]//[𝐶𝐷 ]
|𝐵𝐶| = 3. |𝐴𝐵|
|AF| = 6𝑐𝑚 and |CD| = 22𝑐𝑚,

Find |BE| = 𝑥

Example 9:
In the figure, roadmap of a specific area in a city is shown. Given that
horizontal paths are parallel to each
Find |EF| = x other and |AB| = 60 m, |AC| =
100 m,
|EC| = |CD|=200 m, |BD| = 300 m.

A car moves from point D to point F, point F to E and point E to point C

respectively.

Find the total path the car traveled.

Example 10: In the figure [EF] // [BC] and [FG] // [CD]. Find |𝐺𝐷| =x.

Example 11:

Find |𝐴𝐾| = 𝑥

Pythagorean Theorem

In a right triangle, the sum of the squares of lengths of the legs equals the square of the length of the
hypothenuse. (If the three whole numbers a, b, and c satisfy the equation,then the numbers a, b and
c form a Pythagorean triple.)
Proof:

Example 1: According to the given triangle below, find |BC|.

Example 2: According to the given triangle below, find |DC|.

Example 3: According to the given figure, find |CB| = x.

Example 4: According to the given figure below, find |CD|.

Example 5: According to the given figure below, find x.

Example 6: In the following figure, there is a window’s side view on the wall which has height 50 cm
from the ground. When position with number I becomes position with number II, the point A takes
60 m way horizontally. Find the height of the point A from ground in the position with number II.
Example 7: According to the given triangle below, find x.

Example 8: The perpendicular distances of city halls A and B to straight highway are 10 km and 6
km respectively. A road connecting the city halls A and B will be constructed and this road will be
connected with highway. If |CD|=12 km and 1 km road_construction_cost is 20000₺, find the
minimum expense for this road.

Example 9: In following figure, |AC|=8 br. Find the minimum value of |BT|+|TD|.
Example 10: In the following figure, if |BC| = 21 br, then find x.
Euclid Theorem

Proof:

Example 1: According to the given figure, find x, y and z.

Example 2: According to the given figure, find x and y.

Example 3: According to the given figure, find x.

Example 4: According to the given figure, find x.

Example 5: According to the given figure, find |CE|.

Example 6: In the following figure, if

 Example 7: According to the given figure, find |HC|.

Problems

1. Hakan wants to calculate the height of the hill they plan to reach the summit of during a hike with
the members of the mountaineering club he leads, as well as the distance they will walk. Hakan
knows that the straight-line distance between the east and west slopes of the hill is 1350 meters and
that these points are equidistant from the summit of the hill. He also remembers that when light
reflects off an object and reaches the eye via a mirror, the angles made by the light ray with the
mirror are equal. Hakan’s eye level is 150 cm (1.5 m) above the ground when standing
perpendicular to the ground. The distance from Hakan to the east slope of the hill is 527 meters.
Hakan places the mirror at point A, which is 2 meters away from him on the ground, and when he
looks into the mirror, he can see the summit of the hill.

Based on the information provided, please examine the following problems and answer the
questions.

Problem: Determine the height of the hill that Hakan and the club members will climb.

Problem: If it is assumed that Hakan and the club members will walk a straight path from the
base of the hill to the summit, find the length of the path they will need to walk.

Solve the problems.

2. Ms. Merve, who works at her desk in the office, has a desk that is 30 cm away from the window
and has one edge parallel to the window. The height of the desk from the ground is 75 cm.

In Figure 1, a roller blind with a height of 210 cm from the ground and a desk with a rectangular
side view are shown. When the sunlight reaches a maximum distance of 60 cm on the desk, Ms.
Merve lowered the roller blind by 75 cm as shown in Figure 2.

Please answer the following questions:

A) To find the maximum distance the sunlight reaches on the desk in the final situation, create a
geometric model based on the given information and the desired result, and label the
information on your model.Determine the strategy needed to find out the maximum distance
the sunlight reaches on the desk in the final situation.

B) Using the appropriate strategy, find the maximum distance the sunlight reaches on the desk in
the final situation.

C) Solve the problem using a different approach to check your solution.

3. The image below shows the position of two rectangular bags on a hanger, where the ratio of their
heights to their widths is 3/5.

The widths of the bags are 70 cm and 35 cm, respectively. The orange and red bags are hung on a
hanger with a 5 cm gap between consecutive hooks, with their longer sides parallel to the ground.
The orange bag is 42 cm high from the ground and has a strap length of 78 cm, while the red bag is
67 cm high from the ground.

A) To find the length of the strap for the red bag, create a geometric model based on the given
information and label the information and desired result on your model.Determine the
strategy needed to find the length of the strap for the red bag.

B) Use the appropriate strategy to find the length of the strap for the red bag.

C) Explain whether your solution strategy would be applicable if the bags were of different
geometric shapes (square, isosceles triangle, semicircle, regular hexagon, etc.).
 D) If the bags in the problem were hung using a single hook, would the geometric concepts and
solution strategy you used change? Explain your opinion with justification.

REFLECTION

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