Congruent figures are defined as being what?

• A. the shape is exactly equal in shape and size
• B. equal in area only
• C. similar but not same size
• D. equal in color

Answer: (A)

Congruent figures are exactly the same shape and size. You can move one onto the other using only slides, rotations, or flips—no stretching or resizing—so every corresponding side and every corresponding angle matches. In other words, there is a rigid motion that maps one figure onto the other, preserving lengths and angles. This is why having equal area or being similar (same shape, possibly different size) does not by itself guarantee congruence, and why color isn’t part of the definition.