To determine if triangle ABC with sides measuring 39, 15, and 36 is a right triangle, we can use the Pythagorean theorem. For a triangle to be a right triangle, the square of the length of the longest side (hypotenuse) must equal the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.
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Identify the longest side:
- The sides are 39, 15, and 36. The longest side is 39.
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Apply the Pythagorean theorem: \[ c^2 = a^2 + b^2 \] where \( c \) is the hypotenuse (39) and \( a \) and \( b \) are the other two sides (15 and 36).
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Calculate the squares: \[ 39^2 = 1521 \] \[ 15^2 = 225 \] \[ 36^2 = 1296 \]
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Add the squares of the two shorter sides: \[ 15^2 + 36^2 = 225 + 1296 = 1521 \]
Now we can compare: \[ 39^2 (1521) = 15^2 + 36^2 (1521) \]
Since both sides are equal (1521 = 1521), triangle ABC is a right triangle.
The correct response is: Yes, because 1,521 equals 1,521.