Answer:
To determine whether the given triangle is a right triangle, we can apply the Pythagorean theorem, which states that in a right triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (the longest side) is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.
Let's label the sides of the triangle as follows:
side a = 40 inches
side b = 75 inches
side c = 85 inches (the longest side)
Now we can apply the Pythagorean theorem:
c^2 = a^2 + b^2
85^2 = 40^2 + 75^2
7225 = 1600 + 5625
7225 = 7225
Since the equation is true, we can conclude that the given triangle is a right triangle.