INTRODUCTORY EXERCISES

(3) (a) The hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs the same length is 15 cm. What is the length of a leg?

      (b) What general ratio (hypotenuse:leg) can be formed for isosceles 
      right (45:45:90) triangles

(a) Let the length of the leg be x.

 Then,  x2 + x2 = 152
        2x2 = 225
        x2 = 225/2

        x = 15/
          = 15/2

(b) Let the length of the leg be x and the hypotenuse be H
        2x2 = H2
        H = x
     So the ratio of hypotenuse to leg in an isosceles right triangle is 
        x : x