Name: _________________________________ Grade & Section: __________________

Name of Teacher: ________________________

STE-GE–Q2–W3-09

SCHOOLS DIVISION OF PASAY CITY

PASAY CITY WEST HIGH SCHOOL

MODULE IN GEOMETRY
STE- Grade 8
Second Quarter/ Week 3 / Day 3

OBJECTIVE: Determines the unknown measure of a side of a right triangle

YOUR LESSON FOR TODAY:

• Determining the Unknown Measure of a Side of a Right Triangle

This lesson will enable you to determine the relationship that exist among the sides
of a right triangle and use the concept to find the unknown length of a side of a right
triangle.

TRY TO DISCOVER!

Consider the following.

1. Draw a right triangle whose sides are equal to 3, 4 and 5 cm.

2. Draw a square on each side of the triangle.
3. What is the area of the biggest square?
4. What is the area of each of the two smaller squares?
5. If the longest side of a right triangle is equal to c and the other two sides are equal
respectively to a and b, how is c related to a and b?

This leads us to one of the best known and most useful theorems in mathematics, the
Pythagorean Theorem which is attributed to the Greek mathematician and philosopher
Pythagoras and his followers called Pythagoreans who proved this theorem about 2 500 years
ago.

Pythagorean Theorem
In a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the
two legs.

If 𝑐 = ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒
𝑎, 𝑏 = 𝑙𝑒𝑔𝑠
then 𝐴𝐵2 = 𝐴𝐶 2 + 𝐵𝐶 2
or 𝑐 2 = 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2
or 𝑐 = √𝑎2 + 𝑏 2

If 𝑎 = 3, 𝑏 = 4, 𝑐 = 5
52 = 32 + 42
25 = 9 + 16
25 = 25

Converse of Pythagorean Theorem

If the square of the length of the longest side of a right triangle is equal to the sum of the
squares of the lengths of the other two sides, then the triangle is a right triangle.
Name: _________________________________ Grade & Section: __________________
Name of Teacher: ________________________

ARE YOU READY TO PRACTICE

Example 1. The lengths of the sides of a triangle are 6, 9 and 13. Determine if the
triangle is a right triangle.

Solution: A triangle is right if it satisfies the Pythagorean Theorem. That, is if the square of the
length of the longest side is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the
other two sides. Using the Pythagorean Theorem and by substitution, we have

c2 = 132 = 169, a2 + b2 = 62 + 92 = 117

Since c2 ≠ a2 + b2 , then the given lengths are not lengths of the sides of a right
triangle.

Example 2. Find the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle whose legs are 8 centimeters
and 12 centimeters respectively.

Solution: 𝑎 = 8 𝑐𝑚 𝑏 = 12 𝑐𝑚 𝑐 =?

𝑐2= 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2
𝑐 = √𝑎2 + 𝑏 2
𝑐 = √82 + 122
𝑐 = √64 + 144
= √208
𝑐 = 4√13 or 14.42

∴ 𝑇ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑠 4√13 𝑐𝑚 𝑜𝑟 14.42 𝑐𝑚.

Example 3. In the accompanying figure, if a = 6 and c = 8, what is b?

Solution: By the Pythagorean Theorem, we have

c2 = a2 + b2. From the formula, two other
formulas follow:
a2 = c2 - b2 and b2 = c2 – a2
By using b = √𝑐 2 − 𝑎2 , we have
b = √82 − 62
b = √64 − 36
b = √28
b = 2√7 or 5.29

∴ 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑏 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒 𝑖𝑠 2√7 or 5.29.

Example 4. If the foot of a 10-meter ladder is placed 6 meters away from a building, how high
up the building will the ladder reach?

Solution: c2 = a2 + b2
b2 = c2 – a2
b = √𝑐 2 − 𝑎2
b = √102 − 62
b = √100 − 36
b = √64
b= 8

∴ 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑒𝑟 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑑 8 𝑐𝑚.

Name: _________________________________ Grade & Section: __________________
Name of Teacher: ________________________

PRACTICE EXERCISE 1

Indicate by yes or no if the following are sides of a right triangle. (All units are in
centimeters).

1. 6, 8, 10 ______
2. 28, 24, 22 ______
3. 13, 12, 5 ______
4. 12, 13, 25 ______
5. 8, 12, 15 ______

PRACTICE EXERCISE 2:

The lengths of the sides of ∆𝑀𝐾𝐿 are 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐 as shown in the figure. Complete the
blank spaces. (Write the decimal numbers to the nearest hundredths).

a b c
9 15
5 16
12 13
11 20
10 28

SUMMING UP

To determine the unknown measure of a side of a right triangle, we apply

the Pythagorean Theorem which is stated as “In a right triangle, the
square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the two
legs. If c is the hypotenuse and a and b are the two legs, we have the
relation 𝒄𝟐 = 𝒂𝟐 + 𝒃𝟐 .

PRACTICE EXERCISE 3:

Solve the following problems. Write all answers to the nearest hundredths.

1. The sides of a rectangle are 30- and 20 centimeters, respectively. Find the length of its
diagonal. ________

2. Find the diagonal of a 20- meter square. _________

3. A rectangle 24 meters long has a diagonal 25 meters long. Find its width. _________

4. A man travels 6 kilometers east and then 8 kilometers north. How far is he from the starting
point? _________

5. A ladder 13 meters long is placed against a post at a base 5 meters away. What is the
height reached by the ladder? _________

Integrated the Development of the Following Learning Skills:

➢ Communication Skills
A. Understanding of words / vocabulary: Pythagorean theorem, hypotenuse
B. Following instructions / directions:
C. Reasoning
D. Responding to ideas
➢ Critical Thinking 4. Character
A. Observation A. Honesty
B. Analysis B. Accuracy
C. Explanation C. Working Independently
➢ Creativity D. Patience
➢ Problem Solving
➢ Writing
Name: _________________________________ Grade & Section: __________________
Name of Teacher: ________________________

EVALUATION:

Read each question carefully. Choose the letter that corresponds to the best
answer.

1. What is the longest side in a right triangle?

A. altitude C. leg
B. hypotenuse D. median

2. Which of the following sets of numbers could be the lengths of the sides of a right
triangle?

A. 22, 24, 28 C. 8, 12, 15

B. 12, 13, 15 D. 6, 8, 10

3. Which of the following are not Pythagorean triples?

A. 3, 6, 5 C. 13, 5, 12
B. 6, 8, 10 D. 24, 7, 25

4. In right ⊿𝑃𝑄𝑅, ∠𝑃𝑄𝑅 is the right angle, PQ = 12 and QR = 5. Which of the following
Is the length of ̅̅̅̅
𝑃𝑅?

A. 7 C. 13
B. 10.91 D. cannot be determined

5. The length of a rectangle is 20 inches and the width is 12 inches. How long is the diagonal?

A. 3.46 inches C. 16 inches

C. 5.66 inches D. 23.32 inches

Prepared by:

Digna B. de Leon
Pasay City West High School

References for Further Enhancement:

1. Geometry Textbook for Third Year by Julieta G. Bernabe, et.al., pages 168 - 171
2. New High School Mathematics by Maxima Acelajado, pages 208 - 210