SOLUTION: In the isosceles right triangle ᐃABC, AB=10 feet. what is the length of AC?

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Question 669873: In the isosceles right triangle ᐃABC, AB=10 feet. what is the length of AC?
Found 2 solutions by Alan3354, Edwin McCravy:
Answer by Alan3354(69443)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
In the isosceles right triangle -------------
Depends on which side is the hypotenuse.

Answer by Edwin McCravy(20054)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
In the isosceles right triangle ᐃABC, AB=10 feet. what is the length of AC?
That depends on how the vertices of the triangle are labeled.

If the triangle is labeled like this:

 then BC is also 10 feet 

So we use the Pythagorean theorm:

AC² = AB² + BC²
AC² = 10² + 10²
AC² = 100 + 100
AC² = 200
 AC = Ö200
 AC = Ö100·2

 AC = 10Ö2

But if the triangle is labeled like this:

 then AC is also 10 feet 

Then the answer is 10 feet and you don't need the Pythagorean theorm,
only the knowledge that isosceles triangles have two sides of equal
length. 

Edwin

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