standard_description: Use the definition of congruence in terms of rigid motions to show that two triangles are congruent if and only if corresponding pairs of sides and corresponding pairs of angles are congruent.
problem_activity: Task
In the two triangles below, angle $A$ is congruent to angle $D$, side $AC$ is congruent to side $DF$ and side $AB$ is congruent to side $DE$:
[IMG]
Sally reasons as follows: "If angle $A$ is congruent to angle $D$ then I can move point $A$ to point $D$ so that side $AB$ lies on top of side $DE$ and side $AC$ lies on top of side $DF$. Since $AB$ and $DE$ are congruent as are $AC$ and $DF$ the two triangles match up exactly and so they are congruent.''
Explain Sally's reasoning for why triangle $ABC$ is congruent to triangle $DEF$ using the language of reflections:
Construct a reflection which maps point $A$ to point $D$. Call $B'$ and $C'$ the images of $B$ and $C$ respectively under this reflection.
Construct a reflection which does not move $D$ but which sends $B'$ to $E$.  Call $C''$ the image of $C'$ under this reflection.
Construct a reflection which does not move $D$ or $E$ but which sends $C''$ to $F$.


aligns: no