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why is the hypotenuse of a right triangle longer than a leg of the triangle

by Hilario Runolfsdottir Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Why is the hypotenuse always longer than the legs? Hypotenuse is located opposite to a bigger angle (the right angle measured at 90o) while other two legs ( catheti) are located opposite to smaller acute angles. See details below. In any triangle sides, opposite to congruent angles, are congruent.

In a right triangle, the sum of the interior angles will always be 180°. Since a right angle is half that (90°), it has to be the biggest angle in the triangle and the side across from it will always be the longest.

Full Answer

Why is the hypotenuse always longer than the legs?

Why is the hypotenuse always longer than the legs? Hypotenuse is located opposite to a bigger angle (the right angle measured at 90o) while other two legs ( catheti) are located opposite to smaller acute angles. See details below. In any triangle sides, opposite to congruent angles, are congruent.

What is hypotenuse and catheti In geometry?

Hypotenuse is located opposite to a bigger angle (the right angle measured at 90o) while other two legs ( catheti) are located opposite to smaller acute angles. See details below. In any triangle sides, opposite to congruent angles, are congruent.

What is the longest side of a right triangle?

A side, opposite to a bigger angle, is bigger than a side that lies opposite to a smaller angle. For a proof of these statements I can refer you to Unizor, menu items Geometry - Triangles - Sides & Angles. The largest angle in a right triangle is the right angle, therefore, opposite to it lies the longest side - hypotenuse.

What is the opposite of the largest angle in a triangle?

The largest angle in a right triangle is the right angle, therefore, opposite to it lies the longest side - hypotenuse.

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Why must the hypotenuse of a right triangle always be longer than either leg?

Answer and Explanation: The hypotenuse is always longer than the legs of a right triangle because the legs always meet at a 90-degree angle in a right-angled triangle.

Why is hypotenuse the longest side of a right triangle?

Therefore, AC > BC and AC > AB [Using theorem 7.7 of triangles, in any triangle, the side opposite to the larger (greater) angle is longer.] Therefore, AC is the largest side in ∆ABC. However, AC is the hypotenuse of ∆ABC. Therefore, the hypotenuse is the longest side in a right-angled triangle.

Can the legs of a right triangle be longer than the hypotenuse?

No, it can't. The largest angle in a right triangle is 90 degrees and it is the largest angle of the triangle. The side opposite the largest angle has to be the largest side.

Is the hypotenuse longer than the sum of the legs?

In any right triangle, the hypotenuse is greater than any one of the other sides, but less than their sum because to form a triangle sum of any two sides must be greater than the third side.

How do you know that hypotenuse is the longest side?

A hypotenuse is the longest side of a right triangle. It's the side that is opposite to the right angle (90°). Hypotenuse length may be found, for example, from the Pythagorean theorem.

Which is the longest side in a right-angled triangle?

hypotenuseIn a right triangle, hypotenuse is the longest side.

What is the relationship between the legs and hypotenuse of a right triangle?

The Pythagorean Theorem states that if you add the squares of the lengths of the two legs of a right triangle you will always obtain the square of the length of the hypotenuse.

How much longer is the hypotenuse of the triangle than its shorter leg?

Isosceles Right ( )Triangle Theorem: In an isosceles right ( ) triangle, the hypotenuse is times as long as a leg. Triangle Theorem: In a triangle, the hypotenuse is twice as long as the shorter leg and the longer leg is times as long as the shorter leg.

What does the Pythagorean theorem state?

Pythagorean theorem, the well-known geometric theorem that the sum of the squares on the legs of a right triangle is equal to the square on the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle)—or, in familiar algebraic notation, a2 + b2 = c2.

Does Pythagorean Theorem work on all triangles?

Pythagoras' theorem only works for right-angled triangles, so you can use it to test whether a triangle has a right angle or not. In the triangle above, if a 2 < b 2 + c 2 the angle is acute.

Do the two legs of a triangle add up to the hypotenuse?

Pythagorean Theorem: a2 + b2 = c In a right triangle, the sum of the squares of the two legs equals the square of the hypotenuse. Legs (a and b): the sides of the triangle adjacent to the right angle.

Can hypotenuse be shorter than base?

Yes. You can also prove that it is always going to be shorter than the sum of the adjacent and the hypotenuse. In ordinary geometry, no side of any triangle is shorter than the sum of the lengths of the other two sides.

Why is sin opposite over hypotenuse?

Formulas for right triangles If θ is one of the acute angles in a triangle, then the sine of theta is the ratio of the opposite side to the hypotenuse, the cosine is the ratio of the adjacent side to the hypotenuse, and the tangent is the ratio of the opposite side to the adjacent side.

How does the length of the hypotenuse in a right triangle?

In geometry, a hypotenuse is the longest side of a right-angled triangle, the side opposite the right angle. The length of the hypotenuse can be found using the Pythagorean theorem, which states that the square of the length of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.

Is the hypotenuse opposite the biggest angle?

Since the hypotenuse of a right triangle is the longest side of the triangle, the 90° angle opposite it is also the largest angle of the right triangle. This also makes sense because the internal angles of a triangle sum to 180°.

Is side C on a right triangle always the longest?

2 Answers. Side A and B does not matter when your trying to apply this to the pythagorean theorem but side C must always be the hypotenuse. The hypotenuse is always the triangle's longest side.

1.Why is the hypotenuse always longer than the legs?

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36 hours ago  · Depending on the interpretation of your question, there are two answers.Definition. If another leg was longer, it would be called the hypotenuse.If the hypotenuse were shorter …

2.Explain why the hypotenuse of a right triangle must …

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12 hours ago  · Hypotenuse is located opposite to a bigger angle (the right angle measured at 90^o) while other two legs (catheti) are located opposite to smaller acute angles. See details …

3.Explain why the hypotenuse of a right triangle must …

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12 hours ago  · Explain why the hypotenuse of a right triangle must always be longer than either leg. - 8676800

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17 hours ago The smaller the angle, the smaller the side across from it. So because a right angle is the largest angle in a right triangle across from it must be the largest side. And that is why the high …

5.The legs of a right triangle are______longer than the …

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25 hours ago Since the hypotenuse of aright triangle is opposite the right angle which is the largest angle of the right triangle, then the hypotenuse must be the longest side of the right triangle. …

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22 hours ago  · Where C is the hypotenuse. So upon inspection we can see that all these numbers must be positive, since they are being squared. Therefore, it is impossible for a and b to be …

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