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A triangle has sides with lengths of 26 inches, 36 inches, and 46 inches. Is it a right triangle?

yes or no

User Bruno Unna
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1 Answer

3 votes

Answer:

no

Explanation:

You want to know if side lengths 26 in, 36 in, 46 in form a right triangle.

Pythagorean triple

The integer side lengths will form a right triangle if they are a Pythagorean triple, or a multiple of one.

We notice that these side lengths have a common difference of 10 in. That makes them an arithmetic sequence. The only Pythagorean triples that are an arithmetic sequence are {3, 4, 5} and its multiples. The shortest side is 3 times the common difference.

The lengths {26, 36, 46} cannot form a right triangle. The attachment shows the triangle is an obtuse triangle.

No, the triangle is not a right triangle.

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Additional comment

The side lengths will form a right triangle if and only if they satisfy the relation a² +b² = c², where a, b are the two short sides.

26² +36² = 1972 ≠ 2116 = 46²

A triangle has sides with lengths of 26 inches, 36 inches, and 46 inches. Is it a-example-1
User CR Rollyson
by
8.0k points

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