Question 762915: My teacher told me that on a surface of a sphere, you can have a triangle with THREE right angles, is that true?
Answer by Edwin McCravy(20055) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! My teacher told me that on a surface of a sphere, you can have a triangle with THREE right angles, is that true?
Yes. This is usually stated as this riddle:
A hunter walked one kilometer due south from his camp. Then he walked one
kilometer due west. There he shot a bear. Then he walked one kilometer due
north, and found that he was back at his camp. What color was the bear?
Imagine yourself doing this:
1. Start at the North Pole, go one kilometer due South.
2. Turn 90° and go one kilometer due East.
3. Turn 90° and go one kilometer due North.
You will end up at the North Pole and you will have traced out a
spherical triangle with three 90° interior angles.
The answer to the riddle is "white" (a polar bear).
Edwin
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