High School Math : How to find the length of the side of a right triangle

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for High School Math

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Right Triangle

A right triangle with a base of 12 and hypotenuse of 15 is shown below. Find x.

Screen_shot_2013-03-18_at_10.29.39_pm

Possible Answers:

4

5

5.5

4.5

3.5

Correct answer:

4

Explanation:

Using the Pythagorean Theorem, the height of the right triangle is found to be = √(〖15〗–〖12〗2) = 9, so x=9 – 5=4

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Right Triangle

A right triangle has sides of 36 and 39(hypotenuse).  Find the length of the third side

Possible Answers:

33

33√2

15

12 √6

42

Correct answer:

15

Explanation:

use the pythagorean theorem:

a2 + b2 = c2  ; a and b are sides, c is the hypotenuse

a2 + 1296 = 1521

a2 = 225

a = 15

Example Question #2 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Right Triangle

Bob the Helicopter is at 30,000 ft. above sea level, and as viewed on a map his airport is 40,000 ft. away. If Bob travels in a straight line to his airport at 250 feet per second, how many minutes will it take him to arrive?

Possible Answers:

2 hours and 30 minutes

1 hour and 45 minutes

3 minutes and 20 seconds

3 minutes and 50 seconds

4 hours and 0 minutes

Correct answer:

3 minutes and 20 seconds

Explanation:

Draw a right triangle with a height of 30,000 ft. and a base of 40,000 ft. The hypotenuse, or distance travelled, is then 50,000ft using the Pythagorean Theorem. Then dividing distance by speed will give us time, which is 200 seconds, or 3 minutes and 20 seconds.

Example Question #4 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Right Triangle

A right triangle has two sides, 9 and x, and a hypotenuse of 15. What is x?

Possible Answers:

14

12

13

10

11

Correct answer:

12

Explanation:

We can use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve for x.

92 + x2 = 152

81 + x2 = 225

x2 = 144

x = 12

Example Question #3 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Right Triangle

The area of a right traingle is 42. One of the legs has a length of 12. What is the length of the other leg?

Possible Answers:

7

9

11

6

5

Correct answer:

7

Explanation:

Area= \frac{1}{2}\times base\times height

42=\frac{1}{2}\times base\times 12

42=6\times base

base=7

Example Question #11 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Right Triangle

Triangle

If  and , what is the length of ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

AB is the leg adjacent to Angle A and BC is the leg opposite Angle A.

Since we have a  triangle, the opposites sides of those angles will be in the ratio .

Here, we know the side opposite the sixty degree angle. Thus, we can set that value equal to .

which also means

Example Question #6 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Right Triangle

Solve for x.

Possible Answers:

2

6

12

7

Correct answer:

6

Explanation:

Use the Pythagorean Theorem. Let a = 8 and = 10 (because it is the hypotenuse)

\small a^2+x^2=c^2

\small 8^2+x^2=10^2

\small 64+x^2=100

\small x^2=100-64=36

\small x=6

Example Question #18 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Right Triangle

Solve for .

Question_1

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve for the missing side of the right triangle.

In this triangle, .

Now we can solve for .

Example Question #14 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Right Triangle

Solve for .

Question_9

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

This image depicts a 30-60-90 right triangle. The length of the side opposite the smallest angle is half the length of the hypotenuse.

Example Question #19 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Right Triangle

Given a right triangle, solve for the missing leg if one leg is 12 and the hypotenuse is 13.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Since the traingle is a right traingle, we can use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve for the missing leg:

 and the hypotenuse

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors