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Can (3,5 and square root 34) be sides on a right triangle?

User Balkana
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1 Answer

5 votes

Answer:

Yes, they are.

Explanation:

Remember that a triangle is only a right triangle if its sides meet this mathematical requirement:

(leg)² + (leg)² = (hypotenuse)²

The hypotenuse of a right triangle is the longest side, while the legs are the two shorter sides. We can't say exactly where √34 is, but since √25 = 5 and √36 = 6, we know it must be at least bigger than 5, making it the triangle's longest side.

Using √34 as the "hypotenuse" and 3 and 5 as the "legs" of our triangle makes the equation 3² + 5² = (√34)², and simplifying gets us

9 + 25 = 34

34 = 34

The requirement's been met, so yes, this is a right triangle.

User Ruslan Gilmutdinov
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