McGraw Hill Integrated II, 2012
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McGraw Hill Integrated II, 2012 View details
3. Proving Triangles Congruent-SSS, SAS
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Exercise 26 Page 360

Use the Segment Addition Postulate to show that △ PGL and △ KJM are congruent.

See solution.

Practice makes perfect

We are given 4 pairs of congruent segments, and we need to prove that ∠ G ≅ ∠ J. Let's highlight all this information in the given diagram.

Next, by the diagram and using the Segment Addition Postulate, we can write the following relations. GL &= GH + HLHowever, since GH≅JH and HL≅HM, we get GH = JH and HL = HM. Let's substitute them into the equation above. GL &= JH + HM_(JM) From the equation above, we conclude that GL ≅ JM. Next, we will separate the triangles △ PGL and △ KLM.

One more time, we apply the Segment Addition Postulate and write the following relation. PL = PM + ML Since PM ≅ KL we get PM= KL. Let's substitute it into the equation above. PL = PM + ML ⇒ PL &= KL+ ML PL &= KM From the latter equation we conclude that PL≅ KM. Consequently, by the Side-Side-Side (SSS) Congruence Postulate we have △ PGL ≅ △ KJM and so, by definition, ∠ G ≅ ∠ J.

Completed Proof

Given: & HL ≅ HM, PM ≅ KL & PG ≅ KJ, GH ≅ JH Prove: & ∠ G ≅ ∠ J Proof: To prove that ∠ G ≅ ∠ J, it is enough to show that △ PGL ≅ △ KJM, because congruent parts of congruent polygons are congruent. We will prove this congruence in three steps:

  • By the Segment Addition Postulate we have GL=GH+HL, but since GH ≅ JH and HL ≅ HM, we have GH=JH and HL=HM. By substituting them into the initial equation we get GL=JH+HM=JM and then GL≅ JM.
  • Similarly, by the Segment Addition Postulate we have PL=PM+ML, but since PM≅ LK, we get PM=LK. Substituting it into the previous equation we get PL=LK+ML=KM, which implies PL ≅ KM. Remember that we are also given that PG ≅ KJ.