SSS Exploration
Procedure
1) Drag points A, B and C in ABC below. Observe the behavior of ∆DEF. Try to make the two
triangles have different shapes.
2) After moving the points around, click inside one of the triangles and drag it on top of the other.
3) Try to make the two triangles completely overlap. (Hint: start by trying to match up one pair of
vertices)
4) Finish by answering the questions below.
Complete the following: If two triangles are congruent, then they have the same ____________ and ______________
Triangles have a total of 6 parts: 3 sides and 3 angles. For which of these parts do you have numerical information that remains the same as you move points A, B and C?
Were you able to get one triangle to completely overlap the other triangle?
Were you ever able NOT to get the two triangles to completely overlap?
Which of the following sentences do you think best summarizes what you observed in this exercise?
What do you think the "SSS" abbreviation of this activity stands for?