Congruent and similar shapes

We say that two shapes are congruent if they are both the same shape and exactly the same size.

We say that two shapes are similar if they are both the same shape not necessarily the same size.

There are also special rules to decide if two triangles are congruent or similar.

Being congruent is a special case of being similar. If two similar shapes are exactly the same size, they are congruent, but they are still considered to be similar as well.

All congruent shapes are also similar. Not all similar shapes are congruent.

These resources are designed to support GCSE Maths students. They cover a range of useful mathematical topics but are not intended to provide a complete GCSE course or follow any particular exam board's specification. More...

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