SOLUTION: determine whether the triangle whose sides are of length 15cm, 20cm and 25cm is a right angled triangle?

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Question 698339: determine whether the triangle whose sides are of length 15cm, 20cm and 25cm is a right angled triangle?
Answer by neatmath(302) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

We can use the Pythagorean Theorem to find our answer.

a%5E2%2Bb%5E2=c%5E2 where c is the hypotenuse of the triangle.

If this relation is not true, then the triangle can not be a right triangle.

15%5E2%2B20%5E2=25%5E2 Is this equation true?

225%2B400=625

625=625 It's true!

Thus, the given triangle is a right triangle, and does indeed contain a right angle.

I knew the answer before I did the math, using a secret about special triangles.

This triangle is of the form 3:4:5, which is a Pythagorean Triple.

ANY triangle with sides in the ratio 3:4:5 is a right triangle.

Another popular Pythagorean Triple is 5:12:13

I hope this helps! Keep practicing! :)

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