Examples with solutions for Using the Pythagorean Theorem: The Perimeter of a Triangle

Exercise #1

Look at the following rectangle:

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Calculate the perimeter of the triangle ABD.

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve the problem of finding the perimeter of triangle ABD, we will apply the following steps:

  • Step 1: Identify the given dimensions of the rectangle.
  • Step 2: Calculate the length of the diagonal BD using the Pythagorean theorem.
  • Step 3: Sum the sides of triangle ABD to find its perimeter.

Now, let's work through each step:

Step 1: We know from the problem that AB = 15 and AD = 8.

Step 2: The triangle ABD is a right triangle with AB and AD as the legs, and BD as the hypotenuse. Therefore, by the Pythagorean theorem:

BD2=AB2+AD2=152+82 BD^2 = AB^2 + AD^2 = 15^2 + 8^2

Calculating these squares gives:

BD2=225+64=289 BD^2 = 225 + 64 = 289

Taking the square root of both sides, we find:

BD=289=17 BD = \sqrt{289} = 17

Step 3: Now, calculate the perimeter of triangle ABD.

Perimeter of ABD=AB+AD+BD=15+8+17=40 \text{Perimeter of ABD} = AB + AD + BD = 15 + 8 + 17 = 40

Therefore, the perimeter of triangle ABD is 4040.

Answer

40

Exercise #2

Look at the triangle in the figure.

What is its perimeter?

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Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

In order to find the perimeter of a triangle, we first need to find all of its sides.

Two sides have already been given leaving only one remaining side to find.

We can use the Pythagorean Theorem.
AB2+BC2=AC2 AB^2+BC^2=AC^2
We insert all of the known data:

AC2=72+32 AC^2=7^2+3^2
AC2=49+9=58 AC^2=49+9=58
We extract the square root:

AC=58 AC=\sqrt{58}
Now that we have all of the sides, we can add them up and thus find the perimeter:
58+7+3=58+10 \sqrt{58}+7+3=\sqrt{58}+10

Answer

10+58 10+\sqrt{58} cm

Exercise #3

The perimeter of a triangle is 12 cm.

What are the lengths of its legs?

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Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

This problem involves determining the lengths of the legs of a triangle whose perimeter is 12 cm, given that one side is 5 cm. To solve, consider the apparent context that implies a right triangle.

First, let's denote the three sides of the triangle as a a , b b , and c c , where c=5 c = 5 cm.

Considering the perimeter formula:

a+b+c=12 a + b + c = 12

Since c c is 5 cm, the equation becomes:

a+b+5=12 a + b + 5 = 12

Solving for a+b a + b :

a+b=7 a + b = 7

Assuming it is a right triangle with the side length of 5 cm as the hypotenuse:

c2=a2+b2 c^2 = a^2 + b^2

Where c=5 c = 5 , the equation is:

52=a2+b2 5^2 = a^2 + b^2
25=a2+b2 25 = a^2 + b^2

We need the integers a a and b b that satisfy both a+b=7 a + b = 7 and a2+b2=25 a^2 + b^2 = 25 .

To trial integer pairs from a+b=7 a + b = 7 :

- If a=3 a = 3 , then b=4 b = 4 .

Check a=3 a = 3 and b=4 b = 4 in the Pythagorean condition:

32+42=9+16=25 3^2 + 4^2 = 9 + 16 = 25

Hence, the pair satisfies both conditions.

Therefore, the lengths of the legs are 3cm 3 \, \text{cm} and 4cm 4 \, \text{cm} .

Answer

3 cm, 4 cm

Exercise #4

Look at the triangle in the figure.

What is the length of the hypotenuse given that its perimeter is 12+45 12+4\sqrt{5} cm?

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Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We calculate the perimeter of the triangle:

12+45=4+AC+BC 12+4\sqrt{5}=4+AC+BC

As we want to find the hypotenuse (BC), we isolate it:

12+454AC=BC 12+4\sqrt{5}-4-AC=BC

BC=8+45AC BC=8+4\sqrt{5}-AC

Then calculate AC using the Pythagorean theorem:

AB2+AC2=BC2 AB^2+AC^2=BC^2

42+AC2=(8+45AC)2 4^2+AC^2=(8+4\sqrt{5}-AC)^2

16+AC2=(8+45)22×AC(8+45)+AC2 16+AC^2=(8+4\sqrt{5})^2-2\times AC(8+4\sqrt{5})+AC^2

We then simplify the two:AC2 AC^2

16=82+2×8×45+(45)22×8×AC2AC45 16=8^2+2\times8\times4\sqrt{5}+(4\sqrt{5})^2-2\times8\times AC-2AC4\sqrt{5}

16=64+645+16×516AC85AC 16=64+64\sqrt{5}+16\times5-16AC-8\sqrt{5}AC

16AC+85AC=64+645+16×516 16AC+8\sqrt{5}AC=64+64\sqrt{5}+16\times5-16

AC(16+85)=128+645 AC(16+8\sqrt{5})=128+64\sqrt{5}

AC=128+64516+85=8(16+85)16+85 AC=\frac{128+64\sqrt{5}}{16+8\sqrt{5}}=\frac{8(16+8\sqrt{5})}{16+8\sqrt{5}}

We simplify to obtain:

AC=8 AC=8

Now we can replace AC with the value we found for BC:

BC=8+45AC BC=8+4\sqrt{5}-AC

BC=8+458=45 BC=8+4\sqrt{5}-8=4\sqrt{5}

Answer

45 4\sqrt{5} cm