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 27 Page 360

Consider the corresponding sides and angles.

y=4, see solution.

Practice makes perfect

Let's use colors to indicate corresponding vertices in the given congruence. △ W X Y≅△ W X Z We will continue to use these colors on the figure.

Considering Congruent Segments

Let's focus on the side with the given length and the corresponding side of the other triangle. X YandX Z Since these are corresponding sides in congruent triangles, their measure is the same. Thhis relationship leads us to setting up and solving an equation for y, by the using the substitution method.
XY=XZ
19= 3y+7
Solve for y
12=3y
4=y
y=4
The value that makes segments X Y and X Z congruent is y=4.

Checking Congruent Angles

If triangles △ W X Y and △ W X Z are congruent, then corresponding angles are also congruent. Let's check whether this is true for the angles at X in the two triangles when y=4.
m∠ WXY? =m∠ WXZ
20y+10? = 90
20( 4)+10? =90
Simplify left-hand side
80+10? =90
90=90
This equality shows that for y=4 angles ∠ W X Y and ∠ W X Z are congruent

Conclusion

For y=4, two sides and the included angle of △ W X Y are congruent to the corresponding sides and angle of △ W X Z. Hence, by the Side-Angle-Side (SAS) Congruence Postulate, these two triangles are congruent for y=4.