LET’S TRY ONE
A right triangle has legs 6 cm and 8 cm. Find its hypotenuse.
10
62 + 82 = 100, and the positive square root of 100 is 10.
Learning steps & teaching tips
Apply the Pythagorean theorem to perpendicular side lengths.
- The hypotenuse is opposite the right angle and must be the longest side.
- Work through the example. Explain how its evidence supports the answer.
- Try a new question; use the explanation to check your thinking.
Try it together
Write or draw your own example with different numbers. Solve it, then ask a partner to check the method as well as the answer.
The hypotenuse is opposite the right angle and must be the longest side.