Final answer:
To answer the student's question effectively, one must clarify that an irregular quadrilateral doesn't have a hypotenuse. However, if the quadrilateral can be divided into right triangles, then the Pythagorean theorem can be used to calculate the lengths of the sides of those right triangles.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the hypotenuse of an irregular quadrilateral, none of the given options (A, B, C, or D) are directly applicable because an irregular quadrilateral does not necessarily have a hypotenuse. A hypotenuse is a specific term used for the longest side of a right triangle, opposite the right angle. However, if the quadrilateral can be divided into right triangles, then you may use the Pythagorean theorem, which states that in a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse (c) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides (a and b): a² + b² = c². Solving for c gives you c = √(a² + b²). This method will only work if you can indeed form right triangles within the quadrilateral.