Question

im really confused... In a 45°- 45°- 90° right triangle, one of the legs is 6 inches. How long are the other two sides?

Answer 1

does it say if it is the hypotenuse?

Answer 2

yes

Answer 3

you can use the trig equations for right angled triangles do you know them?

Answer 4

i do not believe so

Answer 5

Well, this is a right angled triangle, so what do you know about that hypotenuse? Call it H.

And call the other two sides A and B.

What do you know about A, B and H?

Answer 6

Most basic relationship for right-angled triangles: Pythagorus' Theorem:
the square of the two right-angled sides equals the square of the hypotenuse

I.e., A^2 + B^2 = H^2

Yes?

Answer 7

still there?

Answer 8

Now in addition, as the triangle is isosceles, the two side right angled sides, A and B are the same length.

Answer 9

Are you following?

Answer 10

yes

Answer 11

So A^2 + B^2 = H^2
implies that
A^2 + A^2 = 6^2

I.e., 2 A^2 = 36
or
A^2 = 18

Now what then is A?

Answer 12

since the two angles are both 45° and the other angle is 90° .. the legs are the same - which means both legs are 6 inches . you then you A2+B2=C2 ....

Answer 13

i asked my certified math teacher :)

Answer 14

Is a "leg" necessarily a right-angled side? Or is the hypotenuse? Havoc said 6 was the length of the hypotenuse.

Answer 15

in the question he said the "leg is 6 inches" so if the hypotenuse is 6 , he needs to be more specific -.-

Answer 16

So Havoc, we have this:

If the hypotenuse = 6, then the other two sides are the same length, A and
2A^2 = 6^2 = 36
i.e. A^2 = 18

Therefore A = ..... what?

If one of the right-angled sides is 6, A = 6 and then
H^2 = A^2 + A^2
= 6^2 + 6^2
= 36 + 36
= 72

Therefore H = ..... what?

So you need to figure out what 'leg' means; I don't know. When you do, use one these two calculations above and finish it.