I am a little confused: One method you can use to determine whether a triangle is a right triangle, given three side lengths, is to apply the converse of the Pythagorean Theorem. Alternately, you can use trigonometric ratios. Show that the triangle in the diagram is a right triangle by using trigonometric ratios. (Be sure to show all work/and or reasoning.

Question

Lawrence

Mathematics

20 August, 03:35

I am a little confused: One method you can use to determine whether a triangle is a right triangle, given three side lengths, is to apply the converse of the Pythagorean Theorem. Alternately, you can use trigonometric ratios. Show that the triangle in the diagram is a right triangle by using trigonometric ratios. (Be sure to show all work/and or reasoning.

+2

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Noelle Chapman · Answer 1

Trigonometric ratios are sine, cosine, and tangent (opposite side over hypotenuse, adjacent side over hypotenuse, and opposite side over adjacent side, respectively); if you wanted to prove that one of the angles of the triangle is 90º, then the cosine of that angle would be 0, the sine would be 1, and the tangent would be undefined.