Question

Explain a right triangle to a group of 6th graders. What do

they need to know? Is there one kind- or more? What makes
them unique? Are there any special kind of right triangles?
Use vocabulary from Geometry and Pre-Cal/Trig. Use
complete sentences trying your best to make things clear to
the younger student.

Answer 1

A right triangle is a type of triangle that has one angle measuring 90 degrees and two acute angles. It has a hypotenuse and two legs, and it is the only type of triangle that the Pythagorean theorem can be applied to. There are different types of right triangles, including isosceles right triangles, 45-45-90 triangles, and 30-60-90 triangles, each with its own unique properties.

Explanation:

A right triangle is a type of triangle that has one angle which measures exactly 90 degrees, which we call the right angle. The other two angles are called acute angles and they are always less than 90 degrees.

A right triangle has a special property: the side opposite the right angle is called the hypotenuse. This is the longest side of the triangle and it is always opposite to the right angle. The other two sides are called legs.

One important thing to note is that the Pythagorean theorem only works for right triangles. This theorem tells us that the square of the length of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the legs. This formula is often written as a^2 + b^2 = c^2, where a and b are the lengths of the legs and c is the length of the hypotenuse.

There are actually several different types of right triangles. For example, if the two legs have the same length, we call it an isosceles right triangle. If one of the acute angles measures exactly 45 degrees, we call it a 45-45-90 triangle, and if one of the acute angles measures exactly 30 degrees and the other measures 60 degrees, we call it a 30-60-90 triangle. These triangles have special properties that make them useful in many different areas of math and science.

In summary, a right triangle is a type of triangle that has one angle measuring 90 degrees and two acute angles. It has a hypotenuse and two legs, and it is the only type of triangle that the Pythagorean theorem can be applied to. There are different types of right triangles, including isosceles right triangles, 45-45-90 triangles, and 30-60-90 triangles, each with its own unique properties.