From: Loyd <loydlin@aol.com>
To: Teacher2Teacher Public Discussion
Date: 2003070916:32:28
Subject: Re: trigonometry ratios

On 2003070912:52:33, Jennie Alinea wrote:
>i just want to know how to find the missing length of a right
triangle
>if the given part is only one?	
>

One thing is not enough.  You already know one thing when it is a
right triangle.  The angle opposite the hypotenuse is 90 degrees. 
Knowing two more things can lead to a solution.  The rules you may
have learned in geometry also apply here:

Knowing two sides and an included angle (Side Angle Side or SAS)
works.  Of course the included angle is 90 degrees.

The Pythagorean theorem applies in a right triangle.  

If you knew a triangle was a right triangle and only knew one other
side, you would still not know what the other sides and angles are.

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