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Hi! Please help!!

What numbers can not be represent the three sides of a right triangle?

57,76,95

18,80,82

9,24,26

15,36,39

User FoxInFlame
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1 Answer

3 votes

9514 1404 393

Answer:

(c) 9, 24, 26

Explanation:

If you're familiar with Pythagorean triples, you may recognize that 10-24-26 is a doubling of the common 5-12-13 triple seen in many problems. That means the triple 9-24-26 cannot be a right triangle.

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The "form factor" of f = a^2 +b^2 -c^2, where c is the longest side length, can signal the kind of triangle it is. f=0 indicates a right triangle (values satisfy the Pythagorean theorem). When there are a lot of numbers to try, I like to let a calculator or spreadsheet do the math. (See attached).

As indicated above, the 9-24-26 triple cannot be a right triangle. For f < 0, it will be an obtuse triangle.

Hi! Please help!! What numbers can not be represent the three sides of a right triangle-example-1
Hi! Please help!! What numbers can not be represent the three sides of a right triangle-example-2
User JoanComasFdz
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