Question 234187: Hi I'm currently doing home school and I have geometry. My question is how do you know if it's SSS, ASA or SAS in a proof? I've been doing good answering the problems, but I've only been guessing. I want to understand it better, I'm going to do state testing next couple of months.
Thanks.
Answer by solver91311(24713)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
There are three ways to prove that two triangles are congruent. Either all three sides have equal measure (Side-Side-Side or SSS), two angles and the side between them all have equal measures (Angle-Side-Angle or ASA), or two sides and the angle between them have equal measures, (Side-Angle-Side or SAS). Depending on your proof, you choose the one that you are able to demonstrate. For some proofs, it is possible that it can be done more than one of the ways, and for others, there may only be one way -- and that is the problem: figuring out which of the three ways is going to work and then how you get there starting at the givens. Sometimes intuition works well, sometimes creativity helps, and sometimes you just have to use good old trial and error. Sorry, no magic formulas or bullets here.
John
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