217k views
4 votes
Choose the set of three sides that correctly matches each description. Each option will be used only once.

Choose the set of three sides that correctly matches each description. Each option-example-1

1 Answer

0 votes

Answers:

  • 30-60-90 triangle = 4, 8, 4*sqrt(3)
  • 45-45-90 triangle = 6, 6, 6*sqrt(2)
  • Right triangle, but not special right triangle = 6, 8, 10
  • Triangle but not a right triangle = 7, 8, 10
  • Not a triangle = 7, 12, 19

======================================================

Step-by-step explanation:

The template for a 30-60-90 triangle is that the short leg x leads to hypotenuse 2x, and longer leg x*sqrt(3). If x = 4, then we get the sides 4, 8, 4*sqrt(3) which are the short leg, hypotenuse, and long leg in that order.

----------------

The template for a 45-45-90 triangle is that we have x as the leg length and x*sqrt(2) as the hypotenuse. If x = 6, then we end up with the sides 6, 6, 6*sqrt(2)

-----------------

The triangle with sides 6, 8, 10 is a right triangle because a = 6, b = 8, c = 10 makes a^2+b^2 = c^2 true. I'm using the converse of the pythagorean theorem. We don't have a special right triangle because these sides do not fit the templates mentioned in the previous two sections above.

-------------------

The triangle with sides a = 7, b = 8, c = 10 on the other hand will not make a^2+b^2 = c^2 true. Note that a^2+b^2 = 7^2+8^2 = 113 which is not the same as 10^2 = 100. However, a triangle is possible because adding any two sides leads to a sum larger than the third side (triangle inequality theorem).

-------------------

We cannot form a triangle with sides 7, 12, 19 because the sides 7 and 12 add to 7+12 = 19 but that's not longer than the third side 19.

The triangle inequality theorem says that if you want to form a triangle with sides a,b,c then the following three inequalities must all be true

a+b > c

a+c > b

b+c > a

User Alex Chesters
by
3.6k points