Question

Ke Shawn is placing a right triangle in the coordinate plane. He knows that the longer leg is twice the length of the shorter leg. He places the longer leg on the x-axis.

What coordinates should he assign to the third vertex of the triangle?

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Answer 1

(2a,0)

Explanation:

the length of the short side times 2 would equal the long side. We know this because the question says: "the longer leg is twice the length of the shorter leg". And the length of the short side is "a". so 2 times the length of the shorter leg, "a", equals the longer side: 2 • a = longer side or 2a. Since the side is on the x-axis, 2a is the first coordnate. Then, the side is exactly on the x-axis so the y-coordnate is 0. (2a, 0)