Question

Why you can always solve a right triangle if you know the measures of one side and one acute angle.

Answer 1

In a right triangle, one angle is always 90.

If you know one acute angle, you automatically know the other (3rd) angle.

3 angles are solved.

Now, comes the sides.

If you already know 1 side, you can easily know another side by using the basic trig identities SIN, COS, or TAN.

When you know 2 sides, the 3rd side can always be find using:

• pythagorean theorem, or

,

• again, trigonometric ratios (sin, cos, tan).