lesson
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Imagine sliding down a giant skateboard ramp. One side goes straight up, one side lies flat on the ground, and the long ramp connects them.
That ramp is part of a special triangle, and its longest side has a superstar name!
The Square Corner and the Hypotenuse
A triangle with a perfect square corner is called a right triangle, and that square corner is a right angle.
The side directly across from the square corner is the longest side, called the hypotenuse.
📊Interactive diagram
Over two thousand years ago, Greek mathematicians named it from words that mean stretching under, because this long side stretches right across the open corner.
What happens if we spin or flip the triangle upside down?
The Arrow Technique
No matter which way a right triangle turns, the hypotenuse is never touching the square corner.
A reliable identification method is the Arrow Technique: draw an arrow originating from the square corner mark of the right angle pointing straight across the interior of the triangle. The side it hits is always the hypotenuse (c in the formula a2+b2=c2).
📊Interactive diagram
A common mistake is thinking the hypotenuse must always be a slanted slide. But if a triangle turns, the hypotenuse can lie flat on the bottom or stand straight up!