Right Triangles vs. Other Triangles: What's the Difference? (Grade 8 Comparison)

Question

Hey there! 👋 Ever get mixed up between right triangles and other triangles? 🤔 Don't worry, it happens! Let's break it down in a super easy way.

sherry219 · Accepted Answer

📚 What is a Right Triangle?
A right triangle is a triangle that has one angle that measures exactly 90 degrees. This 90-degree angle is often marked with a small square in the corner. The side opposite the right angle is called the hypotenuse, and it's always the longest side of the right triangle. The other two sides are called legs.

📐 What are Other Triangles?
"Other triangles" refers to any triangle that *doesn't* have a right angle. These can be acute triangles (where all angles are less than 90 degrees) or obtuse triangles (where one angle is greater than 90 degrees). They can also be equilateral (all sides equal), isosceles (two sides equal), or scalene (no sides equal).

📝 Right Triangles vs. Other Triangles: A Comparison

Feature
      Right Triangle
      Other Triangles

Definition
      One angle is exactly 90 degrees.
      No angle is exactly 90 degrees.

Angle Measures
      Always contains a 90-degree angle. The other two angles must be acute (less than 90 degrees).
      All angles can be acute (acute triangle), or one angle can be obtuse (obtuse triangle).

Hypotenuse
      Has a hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle).
      Does not have a hypotenuse.

Pythagorean Theorem
      The Pythagorean Theorem ($a^2 + b^2 = c^2$) applies, where $c$ is the length of the hypotenuse and $a$ and $b$ are the lengths of the legs.
      The Pythagorean Theorem does not directly apply unless you drop an altitude to create right triangles.

Examples
      3-4-5 triangle, 5-12-13 triangle
      Equilateral triangle, isosceles triangle, obtuse scalene triangle

💡 Key Takeaways

✔️ Right Triangles: Always have one 90-degree angle and the Pythagorean Theorem applies.
    📏 Other Triangles: Don't have a 90-degree angle and can be acute or obtuse.
    ➗ Pythagorean Theorem: Specifically for right triangles.

Right Triangles vs. Other Triangles: What's the Difference? (Grade 8 Comparison)

1 Answers

📚 What is a Right Triangle?

📐 What are Other Triangles?

📝 Right Triangles vs. Other Triangles: A Comparison

💡 Key Takeaways

Join the discussion

Feature	Right Triangle	Other Triangles
Definition	One angle is exactly 90 degrees.	No angle is exactly 90 degrees.
Angle Measures	Always contains a 90-degree angle. The other two angles must be acute (less than 90 degrees).	All angles can be acute (acute triangle), or one angle can be obtuse (obtuse triangle).
Hypotenuse	Has a hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle).	Does not have a hypotenuse.
Pythagorean Theorem	The Pythagorean Theorem ($a^2 + b^2 = c^2$) applies, where $c$ is the length of the hypotenuse and $a$ and $b$ are the lengths of the legs.	The Pythagorean Theorem does not directly apply unless you drop an altitude to create right triangles.
Examples	3-4-5 triangle, 5-12-13 triangle	Equilateral triangle, isosceles triangle, obtuse scalene triangle