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How do you solve for the angle of a right triangle if you are only given one side (the hypotenuse)? Thanks

2007-09-18 06:26:50 · 10 answers · asked by AlaskaGirl 4 in Science & Mathematics Mathematics

10 answers

You don't. You need another side.

2007-09-18 06:31:01 · answer #1 · answered by PMP 5 · 1 1

I'm assuming my answer is wrong, so I probably don't understand the question. But it seems that if it is a right triangle then you already know that one of the angles will be 90 degrees, and if you have another side then you can add the two together and subtract from 180 and you have the third angle.

Or maybe I'm not understanding that the "side" you have is the length of the hypotenuse and maybe all you know is that the length of the hypotenuse is say 10, and the other two sides form a right angle but you don't know their lengths. If that's what you're saying then I'm clueless as to how to figure it out, but it does seem like if you had a rudimentary knowledge of geometry you could figure it out. I just don't have that knowledge base.

2007-09-18 13:41:51 · answer #2 · answered by Tonya in TX - Duck 6 · 0 1

Since you know this is a right triangle then you know one side is 90 degrees.
Therefore since the remaining 2 angles must total 90 degrees You would just subtract the known angle from 90 and you have your 3rd "unknown" angle

Example: Right triangle with 1 angle being 29 Degrees.
90-29=61(remaining unknown angle)

2007-09-18 13:33:59 · answer #3 · answered by SALMON 5 · 0 1

What is the given length? Obviously if its a right triangle than you can draw a model to scale. If its 5 then draw one of 5cm and connect the other sides. Measure one of the sides and use soh cah toa. Then measure the other side and check your answer. You should be close.

2007-09-18 13:37:35 · answer #4 · answered by Mrs.Harbi 3 · 0 0

i can't think how u could (using a formula) and since u can't find a formula either, u could always try using pythagoras' theorem (a2+b2=c2) and find out the lengths of the other 2 sides and then construct the triangle urself n then measure the angles...

i'm sorry...i know that's probably a rubbish idea, but i was just trying to help...

2007-09-18 13:37:32 · answer #5 · answered by $he 4 · 0 0

You cannot.
You have hypotenuse^2 = leg1^2 + leg2^2, so you have one equation with two unknowns. There is an infinite number of solutions. Just pick any value less than h for leg 1 and the use Pythagoren theorem to get leg2.

2007-09-18 13:35:53 · answer #6 · answered by ironduke8159 7 · 0 1

All right triangles have the same angle measurements... 90, 45 and 45... that is why it is a right triangle... now if you are looking for the area that's a different story...

2007-09-18 13:35:17 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0 2

You need at least two sides to determine the non-right angles of a right triangle.

But you always know one angle - the right angle, which is 90 degrees. :-)

2007-09-18 13:34:20 · answer #8 · answered by thomasoa 5 · 0 1

if believe you cant, you need to have another given angle or length. sin 90/hypotenuse = sin (some angle)/ length of another side. unless you can physically measure it

2007-09-18 13:33:19 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1 1

It would be impossible...to my knowledge!

2007-09-18 13:34:26 · answer #10 · answered by Lil_bit_witty 4 · 0 0

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