Precalculus : Solve a Right Triangle

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Precalculus

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Example Questions

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Example Question #1 :Solving Right Triangles

In a right triangle, if the hypotenuse isand a leg is, what is the area of the triangle?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the other leg.

The length of the given leg is 3, and the unknown leg is.

Use the area of a triangle formula and solve.

Example Question #2 :Solving Right Triangles

An isosceles right triangle has a hypotenuse of 1. What is the area of this triangle?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Write the formula for the Pythagorean theorem.

In an isosceles right triangle, both legs of the right triangle are equal.

Substitute the either variable and the known hypotheuse and determine the side length.

This length represents both the base and the height of the triangle. Write the area of a triangle and substitute to solve for the area.

Example Question #3 :Solving Right Triangles

Solve the right triangle.

Pcq1

C=90°

B=45°

a=5

c=

Possible Answers:

None of these answers are correct.

A=135°

b=5

A=45°

b=

A=135°

b=2.07

A=45°

b=5

Correct answer:

A=45°

b=5

Explanation:

Pcq1

Given that:

C=90°

B=45°

a=5

c=

Therefore...

All angles of a triangle add up to 180°.

Example Question #4 :Solving Right Triangles

A right triangle has a base of 10 and a hypotenuse of 20. What is the length of the other leg?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Write the Pythagorean Theorem.

Substitute the values of the leg and hypotenuse. The hypotenuse is the longest side of the right triangle. Solve for the unknown variable.

Example Question #5 :Solving Right Triangles

In the right triangle ABC, side AB iscm long, side AC iscm long, and side BC is the hypotenuse. How long is side BC?

Possible Answers:

cm

cm

cm

cm

Correct answer:

cm

Explanation:

Given that ABC is a right triangle, the length of hypotenuse BC is the root of the sum of the squares of the two other sides (in other words,. Since AB iscm long and AC iscm long, we get that, and so.

Example Question #6 :Solving Right Triangles

The side lengths of right triangle ABC are such that AC > BC > AB. AC = 25 and AB = 9. What is the length of BC?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

When you are using Pythagorean Theorem to calculate the missing side of a right triangle, it is crucial that you identify which side is the hypotenuse,in the Pythagorean equation. Here you're told that side AC is the longest of the three sides, so 25 will serve as the length of the hypotenuse and the value of. This allows you to set up the equation:

And then you can perform the calculations on the known values:

Meaning that:

From there you can simplify, arriving at a = 4 times the square root of 34.

Example Question #1 :Solve A Right Triangle

Isoscelestriangle_800

Given, and the lower angles of the isosceles triangle are, what is the length of? Round to the nearest tenth.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Since the angle of the isosceles is, the larger angle of the right triangle formed byis also.

Using, we can find:

.

Then solve for:

.

Simplify:.

lastly, round and add appropriate units:.

Example Question #8 :Solving Right Triangles

In isosceles triangle,. If side, what is the approximate length of the two legsand?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Isos

In the diagram, AB is cut in half by the altitude.

From here it easy to use right triangle trigonometry to solve for AC.

Example Question #9 :Solving Right Triangles

Find the area of the following Isosceles triangle (units are in cm):

Varsity log graph

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The formula for the area of a triangle is:

We already know what the base is and we can find the height by dividing the isosceles triangle into 2 right triangles:

Varsity log graph

从那里,我们可以使用Pathegorean定理calculate height:

发现,现在我们just plug these values into the formula:

Example Question #10 :Solving Right Triangles

Find the area of the given isosceles triangle and round all values to the nearest tenth:

Varsity log graph

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The first step to solve for area is to divide the isosceles into two right triangles:

Varsity log graph

From there, we can determine the height and base needed for our area equation

从那里,可以很容易地确定使用高度the Pathegorean Theorem:

Now both values can be plugged into the Area formula:

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