Question

If a right triangle is reflected over the x-axis, what happens to the orientation of its hypotenuse?
A
The hypotenuse remains in the same orientation.
B
The hypotenuse is rotated 90 degrees.
C
The hypotenuse is flipped in orientation.
D
The hypotenuse becomes longer.

Answer 1

When a right triangle is reflected over the x-axis, the points of the triangle, including the endpoints of the hypotenuse, will have their y-coordinates changed to their negatives. This transformation does not change the angle or the relative positions of the points on the hypotenuse; it essentially flips the triangle over the x-axis.

Therefore, the orientation of the hypotenuse will be flipped, meaning it may appear to be in a different position relative to the axes, but the length remains unchanged.

The correct answer is:

C. The hypotenuse is flipped in orientation.