CHAPTER 10: Right Triangles and Trigonometry
10.3 Special Right Triangles
(30°­ 60°­ 90°)
Yesterday we learned the first type of special right triangle in Geometry, called a 45°­ 45°­ 90°. The rule for this type of triangle was as follows: leg
x
hypotenuse = (√2)leg
45o
hypotenuse
x√2
45o
leg x
Today we will learn the other type of special right triangle, called a hypotenuse = 2(shorter leg)
longer leg = √3(shorter leg)
shorter leg
30°­ 60°­ 90° triangle. This triangle is a little bit more complicated because all three sides are different lengths, and thus have different rules. hypotenuse
x
60o
2x
30o
x√3
longer leg
HOMEWORK