Trigonometry : Right Triangles

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Trigonometry

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Example Questions

Example Question #41 : Right Triangles

Which of the following is true about the right triangle below?

Screen shot 2020 08 27 at 4.25.30 pm

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle B = \sqrt{3} * C

\displaystyle A = \sqrt{3} * B

\displaystyle C = \sqrt{3}* B

\displaystyle B = \sqrt{3} * A

Correct answer:

\displaystyle B = \sqrt{3} * A

Explanation:

Since the pictured triangle is a right triangle, the unlabeled angle at the lower left is a right angle measuring 90 degrees. Since interior angles in a triangle sum to 180 degrees, the unlabeled angle at the upper left can be calculated by 180 - 60 - 90 = 30. The pictured triangle is therefore a 30-60-90 triangle. In a 30-60-90 triangle, the ratio between the shortest side length and the longer non-hypotenuse side length is \displaystyle 1:\sqrt{3}. Therefore, \displaystyle B=\sqrt{3}*A.

Example Question #42 : Right Triangles

Which of the following is true about the right triangle below?

Screen shot 2020 08 27 at 3.45.47 pm

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \sqrt{3} * B = 2C

\displaystyle \2B = \sqrt{3} * C

\displaystyle \sqrt{3} * A = 2B

\displaystyle \2A = \sqrt{3} * B

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \2B = \sqrt{3} * C

Explanation:

Since the pictured triangle is a right triangle, the unlabeled angle at the lower left is a right angle measuring 90 degrees. Since interior angles in a triangle sum to 180 degrees, the unlabeled angle at the upper left can be calculated by 180 - 60 - 90 = 30. The pictured triangle is therefore a 30-60-90 triangle. In a 30-60-90 triangle, the ratio between the hypotenuse length and the second-longest side length is \displaystyle 2:\sqrt{3}. Therefore, \displaystyle 2B=\sqrt{3}*C.

Example Question #1 : Use Special Triangles To Make Deductions

Which of the following is true about the right triangle below?

Screen shot 2020 08 27 at 10.57.48 am

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle A = B

\displaystyle A = 2C

\displaystyle B = 2A

\displaystyle B = C

Correct answer:

\displaystyle A = B

Explanation:

Since the pictured triangle is a right triangle, the unlabeled angle at the lower left is a right angle measuring 90 degrees. Since interior angles in a triangle sum to 180 degrees, the unlabeled angle at the upper left can be calculated by 180 - 45 - 90 = 45. The pictured triangle is therefore a 45-45-90 triangle. In a 45-45-90 triangle, the two shorter side lengths are equal. Therefore, A = B.

Example Question #2 : Use Special Triangles To Make Deductions

Which of the following is true about the right triangle below?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle B=\sqrt{2}*A

\displaystyle B = 2C

\displaystyle C=\sqrt{2}*B

\displaystyle C = 2A

Correct answer:

\displaystyle C=\sqrt{2}*B

Explanation:

Since the pictured triangle is a right triangle, the unlabeled angle at the lower left is a right angle measuring 90 degrees. Since interior angles in a triangle sum to 180 degrees, the unlabeled angle at the upper left can be calculated by 180 - 45 - 90 = 45. The pictured triangle is therefore a 45-45-90 triangle. In a 45-45-90 triangle, the ratio between a short side length and the hypotenuse is \displaystyle 1:\sqrt{2}. Therefore, \displaystyle C=\sqrt{2}*A.

Example Question #41 : Right Triangles

Which of the following is true about the right triangle below?

Screen shot 2020 08 27 at 2.29.27 pm

Possible Answers:

The triangle is equilateral.

The triangle is obtuse.

The triangle is scalene.

The triangle is isosceles.

Correct answer:

The triangle is isosceles.

Explanation:

Since the pictured triangle is a right triangle, the unlabeled angle at the lower left is a right angle measuring 90 degrees. Since interior angles in a triangle sum to 180 degrees, the unlabeled angle at the upper left can be calculated by 180 - 45 - 90 = 45. The pictured triangle is therefore a 45-45-90 triangle. In a 45-45-90 triangle, the ratio between the two short side lengths is 1:1. Therefore, A = B. Triangles with two congruent side lengths are isosceles by definition.

Example Question #46 : Right Triangles

In the figure below, \displaystyle \Delta ABC is inscribed in a circle. \displaystyle \overline{AC} passes through the center of the circle. In \displaystyle \Delta ABC, the measure of \displaystyle \angle C is twice the measure of \displaystyle \angle C. The figure is drawn to scale.

Screen shot 2020 08 27 at 11.23.21 am

Which of the following is true about the figure?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle BC is equal in length to a diameter of the circle.

\displaystyle AB is equal in length to a diameter of the circle.

\displaystyle AB is equal in length to a radius of the circle.

\displaystyle BC is equal in length to a radius of the circle.

Correct answer:

\displaystyle BC is equal in length to a radius of the circle.

Explanation:

For any angle inscribed in a circle, the measure of the angle is equal to half of the resulting arc measure. Because \displaystyle AC is a diameter of the circle, arc \displaystyle AC has a measure of 180 degrees. Therefore, \displaystyle \angle ABC must be equal to \displaystyle 180*\frac{1}2{}=90^{\circ}. Since \displaystyle \Delta ABC is a right triangle, the sum of its interior angles to 180 degrees. Since the measure of \displaystyle \angle C is twice the measure of \displaystyle \angle A, \displaystyle C=2A. Therefore, the measure of \displaystyle \angle A can be calculated as follows:

 

\displaystyle A + B + C = 180

\displaystyle A + 90 + 2A = 180

\displaystyle 3A = 90

\displaystyle A = 30

 

Therefore, \displaystyle \angle C is equal to \displaystyle 2*30=60^{\circ}\displaystyle \Delta ABC must be a 30-60-90 triangle. Therefore, side length \displaystyle \overline{BC} must be half the length of side length \displaystyle \overline{AC}, the hypotenuse of the triangle. Since \displaystyle \overline{AC} is a diameter of the circle, half of \displaystyle \overline{AC} represents the length of a radius of the circle. Therefore, \displaystyle \overline{BC} is equal in length to a radius of the circle.

Example Question #47 : Right Triangles

In the figure below, \displaystyle \Delta ABC is inscribed in a circle. \displaystyle \overline{AC} passes through the center of the circle. In \displaystyle \Delta ABC, the measure of \displaystyle \angle C is twice the measure of \displaystyle \angle A. The figure is drawn to scale.

Screen shot 2020 08 27 at 2.01.34 pm

Which of the following is true about the figure?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \Delta ABC is a 30-60-90 triangle.

\displaystyle \Delta ABC is equilateral.

\displaystyle \Delta ABC is a 45-45-90 triangle.

\displaystyle \Delta ABC is isosceles.

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \Delta ABC is a 30-60-90 triangle.

Explanation:

For any angle inscribed in a circle, the measure of the angle is equal to half of the resulting arc measure. Because \displaystyle \overline{AC} is a diameter of the circle, arc \displaystyle AC has a measure of 180 degrees. Therefore, \displaystyle \angle ABCmust be equal to \displaystyle 180*\frac{1}2{}=90^{\circ}. Since \displaystyle \Delta ABC is a right triangle, the sum of its interior angles equal 180 degrees. Since the measure of \displaystyle \angle C is twice the measure of \displaystyle \angle A, \displaystyle C=2A. Therefore, the measure of \displaystyle \angle A can be calculated as follows:

\displaystyle A + B + C = 180

\displaystyle A + 90 + 2A = 180

\displaystyle 3A = 90

\displaystyle A = 30

Therefore, \displaystyle \angle C is equal to \displaystyle 2*30=60^{\circ}\displaystyle \Delta ABC must be a 30-60-90 triangle.

Example Question #2 : Use Special Triangles To Make Deductions

In the figure below, \displaystyle \overline{BD} is a diagonal of quadrilateral \displaystyle ABCD\displaystyle \overline{BD} has a length of 1. \displaystyle \Delta ABD and \displaystyle \Delta BCD are congruent and isosceles. \displaystyle \overline{BC} and \displaystyle \overline{CD} are perpendicular. The figure is drawn to scale.

Screen shot 2020 08 28 at 9.51.38 am

Which of the following is a true statement?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \overline{AD} and \displaystyle \overline{BC}, are parallel.

\displaystyle \Delta BCD is equilateral.

\displaystyle \overline{AB} and \displaystyle \overline{BD} are perpendicular.

\displaystyle \Delta ABD is a 30-60-90 triangle.

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \overline{AD} and \displaystyle \overline{BC}, are parallel.

Explanation:

Since \displaystyle \overline{BC} and \displaystyle \overline{CD} are perpendicular, \displaystyle \angle BCD is a right angle. Since no triangle can have more than one right angle, and \displaystyle \Delta BCD is isosceles, \displaystyle \angle CBD must be congruent to \displaystyle \angle BDC. Since \displaystyle \angle CBD is congruent to \displaystyle \angle BDC and \displaystyle \angle BCD measures 90 degrees, \displaystyle \angle CBD and \displaystyle \angle BDC can be calculated as follows:

\displaystyle BCD + CBD + BDC = 180

\displaystyle 90 + x + x = 180

\displaystyle 2x = 90

\displaystyle x = 45 

Therefore,  \displaystyle \angle CBD  and \displaystyle \angle BDC are both equal to 45 degrees. \displaystyle \Delta BCD  is a 45-45-90 triangle. Since \displaystyle \Delta ABD is congruent to \displaystyle \Delta BCD\displaystyle \Delta ABD  is also a 45-45-90 triangle. The figure is drawn to scale, so \displaystyle \angle DAB is a right angle. Since \displaystyle \angle ADB has the same angle measure as \displaystyle \angle DBC, the two angles are alternate interior angles and diagonal \displaystyle \overline{BD} is a transversal relative to \displaystyle \overline{AD} and \displaystyle \overline{BC}, which must be parallel.

Example Question #48 : Right Triangles

In the figure below, \displaystyle \overline{BD} is a diagonal of quadrilateral \displaystyle ABCD. \displaystyle \overline{BD} has a length of \displaystyle 1\displaystyle \angle CBD is congruent to \displaystyle \angle BDC.

Screen shot 2020 08 27 at 4.39.20 pm

Which of the following is a true statement?

Possible Answers:

The perimeter of quadrilateral \displaystyle ABCD is \displaystyle 2.

The perimeter of quadrilateral \displaystyle ABCD is \displaystyle 4.

The area of quadrilateral \displaystyle ABCD is \displaystyle \frac{1}{2}.

The area of quadrilateral \displaystyle ABCD is \displaystyle 1.

Correct answer:

The area of quadrilateral \displaystyle ABCD is \displaystyle \frac{1}{2}.

Explanation:

Since \displaystyle BC and \displaystyle CD are perpendicular, \displaystyle \angle BCD is a right angle. Since no triangle can have more than one right angle, and \displaystyle \Delta BCD is isosceles, \displaystyle \angle CBD must be congruent to \displaystyle \angle BDC. Since angle CBD is congruent to \displaystyle \angle BDC and \displaystyle \angle BCD measures 90 degrees, \displaystyle \angle CBD and \displaystyle \angle BDC can be calculated as follows:

\displaystyle BCD + CBD + BDC = 180

\displaystyle 90 + x + x = 180

\displaystyle 2x = 90

\displaystyle x = 45

Therefore, \displaystyle CBD and \displaystyle BDC are both equal to 45 degrees. \displaystyle \Delta BCD is a 45-45-90 triangle. Therefore, the ratio between side lengths and hypotenuse \displaystyle BD is \displaystyle 1:\sqrt{2}. Anyone of the four side lengths of quadrilateral \displaystyle ABCD must, therefore, be equal to \displaystyle \frac{BD}{\sqrt{2}}=\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}. To find the area of \displaystyle ABCD, multiply two side lengths: \displaystyle \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}*\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}=\frac{1}{2}.

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