Length of a shorter side
I can use Pythagoras' theorem to find the length of one of the shorter sides.
Length of a shorter side
I can use Pythagoras' theorem to find the length of one of the shorter sides.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The sum of the squares of the two shorter sides equals the square of the longest side.
- The difference between the squares of the longest and known shorter sides is the square of the remaining side.
- A calculator can perform these calculations efficiently.
- Rounding gives a less accurate answer so there might be times you wish to leave your answer with an operator.
Common misconception
The method for finding the length of a shorter side of a right-angled triangle using Pythagoras' theorem is exactly the same as when finding the hypotenuse.
Whilst the initial setup of "the sum of the squares of the two shorter sides equals the square of the hypotenuse" will be the same, finding the length of a shorter side will require an extra step of rearranging terms in the equation.
Keywords
Right-angled triangle - A right-angled triangle has exactly one 90° interior angle.
Hypotenuse - A hypotenuse is the side of the right-angle triangle which is opposite the right-angle.
Pythagoras’ theorem - Pythagoras’ theorem shows that the sum of the squares of the two shorter sides of a right-angled triangle is equal to the square of its longest side (the hypotenuse).
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Video
Loading...