# Thread: Draw a right triangle that belongs to this description

1. ## Draw a right triangle that belongs to this description

Hello,

I'm taking an online course for Math, and I'm lost. Any suggestions? Thanks you.

1)TriangleJKL, where tanJ =1/2 and angleK = 90degrees
2)Show the measure of each side and each angle of the triangle.

2. Originally Posted by Amry
Hello,

I'm taking an online course for Math, and I'm lost. Any suggestions? Thanks you.

1)TriangleJKL, where tanJ =1/2 and angleK = 90degrees
2)Show the measure of each side and each angle of the triangle.
Hi Amry,

See diagram. Since tan J = 1/2, the opposite side of J must be 1 and the adjacent side of J must be 2.

Use the Pythagorean theorem to find the hypotenuse.

To find the angles, find arctan (1/2) and arctan (2).

3. Actually, it is not a matter of "the opposite side of J must be 1 and the adjacent side of J must be 2." Rather, whatever the length of the opposite side is, the length of the adjacent side must be twice that. Opposite side with length 1 and opposite side with length 2 is one right triangle that fits that. There is no way to determine the actual length of both sides from the given information.