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CHAPTER

9 Chapter Summary

WHAT did you learn? WHY did you learn it?

Solve problems involving similar right triangles Find a height in a real-life structure, such as the
formed by the altitude drawn to the hypotenuse height of a triangular roof. (p. 528)
of a right triangle. (9.1)
Use the Pythagorean Theorem. (9.2) Solve real-life problems, such as finding the length
of a skywalk support beam. (p. 537)
Use the Converse of the Pythagorean Theorem. Use in construction methods, such as verifying
(9.3) whether a foundation is rectangular. (p. 545)
Use side lengths to classify triangles by their Write proofs about triangles. (p. 547)
angle measures. (9.3)
Find side lengths of special right triangles. (9.4) Solve real-life problems, such as finding the height
of a loading platform. (p. 553)
Find trigonometric ratios of an acute angle. Measure distances indirectly, such as the depth of a
(9.5) crater on the moon. (p. 564)
Solve a right triangle. (9.6) Solve real-life problems, such as finding the glide
angle and altitude of the space shuttle. (p. 569)
Find the magnitude and the direction of a vector. Describe physical quantities, such as the speed and
(9.7) direction of a ship. (p. 574)
Find the sum of two vectors. (9.7) Model real-life motion, such as the path of a
skydiver. (p. 578)

How does Chapter 9 fit into the BIGGER PICTURE of geometry?

In this chapter, you studied two of the most important theorems in mathematics—
the Pythagorean Theorem and its converse. You were also introduced to a branch of
mathematics called trigonometry. Properties of right triangles allow you to estimate
distances and angle measures that cannot be measured directly. These properties are
important tools in areas such as surveying, construction, and navigation.

STUDY STRATEGY
What I Already Know About Rig
What did you learn ht Triangles
about right triangles? 1. Have a right angle.
Your lists about what you knew 2. Perpendicular sides
and what you expected to learn are legs. hypotenuse
leg
about right triangles, following the 3. Longest side is the
study strategy on page 526, may hypotenuse. leg
resemble this one.

581
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CHAPTER

9 Chapter Review

• Pythagorean triple, p. 536 • cosine, p. 558 • magnitude of a vector, p. 573 • parallel vectors, p. 574
• special right triangles, p. 551 • tangent, p. 558 • direction of a vector, p. 574 • sum of two vectors, p. 575
• trigonometric ratio, p. 558 • angle of elevation, p. 561 • equal vectors, p. 574
• sine, p. 558 • solve a right triangle, p. 567

Examples on
9.1 SIMILAR RIGHT TRIANGLES pp. 528–530

C
EXAMPLES
DB CB
¤ACB ~ ¤CDB, so  = . CB is the geometric
CB AB
mean of DB and AB.
A D B
AD AC
¤ADC ~ ¤ACB, so  = . AC is the geometric mean of AD and AB.
AC AB
DA DC
¤CDB ~ ¤ADC, so  = . DC is the geometric mean of DA and DB.
DC DB

Find the value of each variable.

1. 2. 3. 36

y 6
25 z 27

y 9 x
y
x
9 x

Examples on
9.2 THE PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM pp. 536–537

EXAMPLE You can use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the value of r.
172 = r 2 + 152, or 289 = r 2 + 225. Then 64 = r 2, so r = 8. 17
r
The side lengths 8, 15, and 17 form a Pythagorean triple because they
15
are integers.

The variables r and s represent the lengths of the legs of a right triangle,
and t represents the length of the hypotenuse. Find the unknown value.
Then tell whether the lengths form a Pythagorean triple.
4. r = 12, s = 16 5. r = 8, t = 12 6. s = 16, t = 34 7. r = 4, s = 6

582 Chapter 9 Right Triangles and Trigonometry

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Examples on
9.3 THE CONVERSE OF THE PYTHAGOREAN THEOREM pp. 543–545

EXAMPLES You can use side lengths to classify a triangle by its angle measures.
Let a, b, and c represent the side lengths of a triangle, with c as the length of the
longest side.
If c2 = a2 + b2, the triangle is a right triangle: 82 = (27)2 + 62, so 27, 6, and 8 are
the side lengths of a right triangle.
If c2 < a2 + b2, the triangle is an acute triangle: 122 < 82+ 92 , so 8, 9, and 12 are the side
lengths of an acute triangle.
If c2 > a2 + b2, the triangle is an obtuse triangle: 82 > 52 + 62, so 5, 6, and 8 are the
side lengths of an obtuse triangle.

Decide whether the numbers can represent the side lengths of a triangle. If
they can, classify the triangle as acute, right, or obtuse.
8. 6, 7, 10 9. 9, 40, 41 10. 8, 12, 20 , 9
11. 3, 45

Examples on
9.4 SPECIAL RIGHT TRIANGLES pp. 551–553

EXAMPLES Triangles whose angle measures are 45°-45°-90° or 30°-60°-90° are

called special right triangles.
45°-45°-90° triangle 60 30°-60°-90° triangle
45 8
6 62 hypotenuse = 2 • leg 4 hypotenuse = 2 • shorter leg
30 longer leg = 3 • shorter leg
45 43
6

. Find the length of the

12. An isosceles right triangle has legs of length 32
hypotenuse.
13. A diagonal of a square is 6 inches long. Find its perimeter and its area.
14. A 30°-60°-90° triangle has a hypotenuse of length 12 inches. What are the
lengths of the legs?
15. An equilateral triangle has sides of length 18 centimeters. Find the length of
an altitude of the triangle. Then find the area of the triangle.

Examples on
9.5 TRIGONOMETRIC RATIOS pp. 558–561

EXAMPLE A trigonometric ratio is a ratio of the lengths of two sides of a

Y
right triangle.
29 20
opp. 20 adj. 21 opp. 20
sin X =  =  cos X =  =  tan X =  = 
hyp. 29 hyp. 29 adj. 21 X 21 Z

Chapter Review 583

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9.5 continued Find the sine, the cosine, and the tangent of the acute angles of the
triangle. Express each value as a decimal rounded to four places.
16. L 17. M 18. B 7 C
61
11 35
12
J 60 K 42
9
P 37 N
A

9.6 SOLVING RIGHT TRIANGLES Examples on

pp. 568–569

EXAMPLE To solve ¤ABC, begin by using the Pythagorean B

Theorem to find the length of the hypotenuse.
c 10
c2 = 102 + 152 = 325. So, c = 325 = 513.
Then find m™A and m™B. A 15 C
10 2
tan A =  = . Use a calculator to find that m™A ≈ 33.7°.
15 3
Then m™B = 90° º m™A ≈ 90° º 33.7° = 56.3°.

Solve the right triangle. Round decimals to the nearest tenth.

19. Z 20. E 21. T

12 f d s 8
x
50
X 8 Y D 20 F R 15 S

Examples on
9.7 VECTORS pp. 573–575

EXAMPLES You can use the Distance Formula to find y

Æ„
the magnitude of PQ . œ (8, 10)

|PQ | = (8
Æ„
 º2 (10
)2+ º2
)2 = 62+
82 = 100 = 10
To add vectors, find the sum of their horizontal components
and the sum of their vertical components. 2
Æ„ Æ
„
P (2, 2)
PQ + OT = 〈6, 8〉 + 〈8, º2〉 = 〈6 + 8, 8 + (º2)〉 = 〈14, 6〉 O 10 x
T (8, 2)

Æ„
Draw vector PQ in a coordinate plane. Write the component form of the
vector and find its magnitude. Round decimals to the nearest tenth.
22. P(2, 3), Q(1, º1) 23. P(º6, 3), Q(6, º2) 24. P(º2, 0), Q(1, 2)
25. Let u = 〈1, 2〉 and v = 〈13, 7〉. Find u + v . Find the magnitude of the sum
„ „ „ „

vector and its direction relative to east.

584 Chapter 9 Right Triangles and Trigonometry

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CHAPTER

9 Chapter Test

Use the diagram at the right to match the angle or segment with its
measure. (Some measures are rounded to two decimal places.)
Æ
1. AB A. 5.33 A
Æ
2. BC B. 36.87°
Æ 4
3. AD C. 5
4. ™BAC D. 53.13° B C 3 D

5. ™CAD E. 6.67
6. Refer to the diagram above. Complete the following statement:
¤ABC ~ ¤
?  ~ ¤
? .
W
7. Classify quadrilateral WXYZ in the diagram at the right. Explain your
reasoning. Z
15 6 X
8. The vertices of ¤PQR are P(º2, 3), Q(3, 1), and R(0, º3). Decide 8
17
whether ¤PQR is right, acute, or obtuse.
Y
9. Complete the following statement: 15, 
? , and 113 form a Pythagorean triple.
10. The measure of one angle of a rhombus is 60°. The perimeter of the rhombus
is 24 inches. Sketch the rhombus and give its side lengths. Then find its area.
Solve the right triangle. Round decimals to the nearest tenth.
11. K 12. E 13. P

9 12
4 6
25
30 D F
J L q R
Æ„
14. L = (3, 7) and M = (7, 4) are the initial and the terminal points of LM . Draw
Æ„
LM in a coordinate plane. Write the component form of the vector. Then find
its magnitude and direction relative to east.
Æ Æ
15. Find the lengths of CD and AB. 16. Find the measure of ™BCA and
Æ
the length of DE.
C B D

10
C
40 35
40
A D B A E
„ „ „
Let u = 〈0, º5〉, v = 〈º2, º3〉, and w = 〈4, 6〉. Find the given sum.
17. „
u +„
v 18. „ „
u +w 19. „ „
v +w

Chapter Test 585