You’ve already met the right triangle in an earlier lesson. A right triangle has one angle equal to 90 degrees. A right triangle can also be an isosceles triangle–which means that it has two sides that are equal. A right isosceles triangle has a 90-degree angle and two 45-degree angles.

A right triangle consists of two legs and a hypotenuse. The two legs meet at a 90° angle and the hypotenuse is the longest side of the right triangle and is the side opposite the right angle.

Right Angle Triangle Properties

• One angle is always 90° or right angle.
• The side opposite angle 90° is the hypotenuse.
• The hypotenuse is always the longest side.
• The sum of the other two interior angles is equal to 90°.
• The other two sides adjacent to the right angle are called base and perpendicular.

Key Points

1. The Pythagorean Theorem, a2+b2=c2, a 2 + b 2 = c 2 , is used to find the length of any side of a right triangle.
2. In a right triangle, one of the angles has a value of 90 degrees.
3. The longest side of a right triangle is called the hypotenuse, and it is the side that is opposite the 90 degree angle.

A triangle represents manifestation, enlightenment, revelation, and a higher perspective. It is often used to mark the cycles of growth that lead to a higher state of being. Spiritually, it represents a path towards enlightenment or connection to an omnipresent being.

An obtuse angle is one that measures more than 90°. A right triangle has a 90° angle. The sum of the three angles of a triangle equal 180°. A triangle cannot have two 90° angles, there an obtuse triangle is NEVER a right triangle.