Question

Summer looked at the formula for the Pythagorean Theorem, a2 + b2 = c2, she said that it didn’t matter which sides of a right triangle were a, b, and c. Is she correct? A. Yes, she is correct. B. No, a must be the shortest side, then b, and c is the longest side. C. No, c must be the shortest side, then b, and a is the longest side. D. No, a and b are interchangable, and c is the longest side.

Answer 1

Answer: D. No, a and b are interchangeable,  and C is the longest side.

Step-by-step explanation:

Either A and B which are the two legs can be greater than the hypotenuse which is C. They hypotenuse has to always be greater than the two legs and the two legs have the same lengths but it can't be greater than the hypotenuse.  

For example let's say you have a right angle with side lengths  3,4 and 5.

5 in this case has to be always the hypotenuse.

A could be either 3 or 4  but not 5

And  B could also be 3 or 4 but not 5  

because A squared plus B squared is always equal to the hypotenuse which is 5.

3^2 + 4^2 = 5^2

9 + 16 = 25

25 = 25