Determine if triangle RST with coordinates R (2, 3), S (4, 4), and T (5, 0) is a right triangle. Use evidence to support your claim. If it is not a right triangle, what changes can be made to make it a right triangle? Be specific.

Question

anonymous · Answer

check the slopes for the 3 segments
see if one of them has a "negative reciprocal" slope of another
that is, if say     of RS segment gives you a slope of  1/2

and then ST gives you a slope of
negative
-1/2
reciprocal
-2/1

then ST is perpendicular to RS  and thus they make up a right-angle and thus a right-triangle

anonymous · Answer

check the slopes of all 3 segments making up the triangle, for RS, ST and TR

anonymous · Answer

it does make a right angle. it just shifted by one. Side ST was sifted to the right that is why T is on (0,5) and SR was shifted down by one also which is why R is (2,3) so it still makes a right triangle

anonymous · Answer

Ok so the slopes are, 1/2, -4, and -1!

anonymous · Answer

yeah..... so I guess is not a right-triangle then :)

anonymous · Answer

well.. dunno if it's an isosceles.... looks like it's, but you'd need to check the lengths for the segments by using the distance formula notice that the slopes you've got, do not provide a corresponding negative-reciprocal.... so is not a right-triangle did you get the "negative reciprocal" part?