What is the difference between similar and congruent

Mathematics · Middle School · Wed Jan 13 2021

Answered on

"Similar" and "congruent" are terms used in geometry to describe relationships between geometric figures, but they convey different types of relationships.

  1. Similar:
  • When two geometric figures are similar, it means that they have the same shape but may be different in size. In similarity, corresponding angles are equal, and corresponding sides are in proportion. Similar figures can be obtained by scaling (enlarging or reducing) one figure to match the other. The term "similarity" is used to describe the relationship between these figures.

2.Congruent:

  • When two geometric figures are congruent, it means that they have the same shape and the same size. In congruence, corresponding angles are equal, and corresponding sides have the same length. Congruent figures can be obtained by translations (slides), rotations, and reflections. The term "congruence" is used to describe the relationship between these figures.

In summary:

  • Similar figures have the same shape but may differ in size.
  • Congruent figures have both the same shape and the same size.