Last week we had a little fun with the Pythagorean Theorem.
If you have a right triangle and you know the length of 2 of the sides you can figure out the length of the remaining side by using the Pythagorean Theorem.
a^2 + b^2 = c^2 (where c is the hypotenuse – the side across from the right angle)
Everyone got it right…the answer was 5. (if you’d like to see the work check out stevegg’s comments here.)
If you have a right triangle and you know the length of 2 of the sides you can figure out the length of the remaining side by using the Pythagorean Theorem.
a^2 + b^2 = c^2 (where c is the hypotenuse – the side across from the right angle)
Everyone got it right…the answer was 5. (if you’d like to see the work check out stevegg’s comments here.)
I am going to up the ante just a little…I think a few of you (still unreal…I’m looking in your direction) think this is too easy so here is one that is a bit harder, still not calculus (because I don’t think you’re ready yet) but more challenging.
Compute the area of the following:
Compute the area of the following:
Do you like this article? Share It!
13 comments to "Math"
Unknown says:
196! I see you were trying to be tricky...
lol, I doubt that's what you want, but it could almost work.
gopfolk says:
No trick...and wrong answer...Sorry justin.
Unknown says:
Whoops! For my joke, I meant 784! lol...
GOPgal says:
I didn't realize this blog was for MENSA members.
Guess my public high school education and Gateway Technical College degree isn't enough to figure this trig. out. Algebra is about all I can handle.
steveegg says:
Before I answer, a question - is this a regular decagon (for those that don't know what I'm talking about, a regular decagon has 10 sides, all of the same length, with every interior angle the same)? The figure is a bit less than forthcoming on that vital piece of information.
gopfolk says:
Very good question...yes it is a regular decagon.
Wondering if anyone was going to ask that?!!
still Unreal... says:
umm...i dunno, but i'm thinking.....roughly twice Justin's 2nd answer?
gopfolk says:
Justin's 2nd answer is wrong too...and doubling it would make it really wrong!!
still Unreal... says:
Hey, man, i said "roughly!"
4 could be considered "roughly"......right?
steveegg says:
Should I give a hint? (here's a freebie; that labeled length is perpendicular to the side of the decagon).
still Unreal... says:
thats no hint, steve.
give us half or....a third (if you want to make it tricky) the area....now that'd be a hint.
like school, i dont want to work through secants and square roots and stuff.
...turned out they didn't like thy didnt like that either.
gopfolk says:
What a whiner! ;^)
You are a proficient user of the internet…you have been given 3 important words…I’m thinking you should be done by now!
steveegg says:
No square roots, and no secants, though you do need some trigonometry. The interior angle of a regular decagon is 144 degrees (so you won't to need to find the formula for the area of a regular polygon of n sides and an apothem of length A like I did).
If I give any more, I will be literally giving away the answer.