Thread: coordinate geometry

the hypotenuse of a right anglred triangle has its endpoints(1,3) and (-4,1).Find the equation of the legs(perpendicular sides of the triangle).

please help

Originally Posted by prasum

the hypotenuse of a right anglred triangle has its endpoints(1,3) and (-4,1).Find the equation of the legs(perpendicular sides of the triangle).

please help

Can you work your way from the Pythagorean formula or do you need more help?

Originally Posted by prasum

the hypotenuse of a right anglred triangle has its endpoints(1,3) and (-4,1).Find the equation of the legs(perpendicular sides of the triangle).

please help

I recommend you sketch the given points on graph paper and locate the two horizontal/vertical leg solutions.

You should also note that this question has an infinite number of solutions if you make the given points the endpoints of a circle's diameter ... the vertex opposite the hypotenuse would lie anywhere on the circle.