Which term names the side opposite the right angle in a right triangle?

Which term names the side opposite the right angle in a right triangle?

• A. Leg
• B. Hypotenuse
• C. Base
• D. Height

Answer: (B)

In a right triangle, the side opposite the right angle is called the hypotenuse. This is what the name means: it’s the side across from the angle that’s 90 degrees. The two sides that meet to form the right angle are called the legs, not the hypotenuse. Bas e and height are general geometric terms: base is a reference side, and height is the perpendicular distance from a base to the opposite vertex. Because the hypotenuse is defined as the side opposite the right angle, it’s the longest side in a right triangle and is the one involved in the Pythagorean relationship a^2 + b^2 = c^2, where c is the hypotenuse.

In a right triangle, the side opposite the right angle is called the hypotenuse. This is what the name means: it’s the side across from the angle that’s 90 degrees. The two sides that meet to form the right angle are called the legs, not the hypotenuse. Bas e and height are general geometric terms: base is a reference side, and height is the perpendicular distance from a base to the opposite vertex. Because the hypotenuse is defined as the side opposite the right angle, it’s the longest side in a right triangle and is the one involved in the Pythagorean relationship a^2 + b^2 = c^2, where c is the hypotenuse.