Right triangle

High school (ages 12+)
Mathematics & Numbers

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/right-triangle

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the geometric definition?A triangle containing one angle of exactly 90 degrees
2. What is the trigonometric basis?Forms the fundamental basis for defining trigonometric functions (sine, cosine, tangent)
3. Why is the right angle special?A right angle is perpendicular, meaning the sides meet at a perfect corner. This helps people build straight lines and right corners, like in pyramids.
4. How can we find a missing side of a right triangle?We use the Pythagorean theorem: a² + b² = c². If two sides are known, we can solve for the third side.

Right Angle: An angle measuring precisely 90 degrees, characterized by perpendicular lines or segments.
Legs (Catheti): The two sides of a right triangle that form the 90-degree angle.
Hypotenuse: The longest side of a right triangle, always opposite the right angle.
Pythagorean Theorem: The theorem stating a² + b² = c², relating the sides of a right triangle.