CPCTC

Units & Measurements abbreviation · Math

CPCTC
Stands forCorresponding parts of congruent triangles are congruent
CategoriesUnits & Measurements

CPCTC stands for Corresponding parts of congruent triangles are congruent, a math abbreviation.

A justification used in US high school geometry proofs: once two triangles are shown congruent (by SSS, SAS, ASA, AAS or HL), every pair of matching sides and angles is congruent too.

Example: Triangle ABC is congruent to triangle DEF by SAS, so angle C equals angle F by CPCTC.

Usage notes

CPCTC can only be cited after triangle congruence has been established, a frequent error in two-column proofs. The acronym is largely an American textbook convention; other curricula state the property without it. Some books write CPCF for congruent figures in general.

More math abbreviations

  • cis – Cosine plus i sine
  • Cor – Corollary
  • cos – Cosine
  • cosec – Cosecant
  • cosh – Hyperbolic cosine
  • cot – Cotangent
  • csc – Cosecant
  • deg – Degree (angle)
  • det – Determinant
  • dim – Dimension
  • exp – Exponential function
  • FOIL – First, Outer, Inner, Last

See all 91 math abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.