SSAT Upper Level Math : How to find the area of a right triangle

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Upper Level Math

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Example Questions

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

What is the area of a right triangle whose hypotenuse is 13 inches and whose legs each measure a number of inches equal to an integer?

Possible Answers:

It cannot be determined from the information given.

Correct answer:

Explanation:

We are looking for a Pythagorean triple - that is, three integers that satisfy the relationship   . We know that , and the only Pythagorean triple with  is . The legs of the triangle are therefore 5 and 12, and the area of the right triangle is 

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