Estimate the hypotenuse of the triangle

In summary, the conversation is about estimating the hypotenuse of a triangle with given sides and a maximum error possibility. The person asking the question found the maximum error using differentials and was wondering if they could simply state the hypotenuse as 13 without accounting for the error. The expert confirms that the hypotenuse can be stated as 13 but the point of the problem is to find the error.
  • #1
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Hi I just had a question on a quiz that asked to estimate the hypotenuse of triangle with given sides and a maximum error possibility. The two given sides were 5 and 12..i don't need an exact solution..but I was just wondering how to do it.

I Found the maximum Error that was possible and the said the the hypotenuse was 13+/-Error. Is this how to do it?

The max error was found using differentials.
 
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  • #2
Assuming that you did in fact find "Error", then yes, the hypotenuse would be [itex]13\pm "Error"[/itex]. The point of the problem is, of course, to find "Error".
 
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  • #3
Yeah that's what I thought..But I didnt know if you were allowed to simply say the hypotenuse was 13..since finding that has nothing to do with differentials...I wasnt sure if there was actually a way to find the actual estimated length of it...without having to subtract the errror.
 

Related to Estimate the hypotenuse of the triangle

1. How do you estimate the hypotenuse of a triangle?

To estimate the hypotenuse of a triangle, you can use the Pythagorean theorem, which states that in a right triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.

2. What is the Pythagorean theorem?

The Pythagorean theorem is a mathematical equation that relates the lengths of the sides of a right triangle. It states that the square of the length of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.

3. Can you use the Pythagorean theorem to estimate the hypotenuse of a non-right triangle?

No, the Pythagorean theorem only applies to right triangles. For non-right triangles, you can use the Law of Cosines or the Law of Sines to calculate the length of the hypotenuse.

4. What is the Law of Cosines?

The Law of Cosines is a mathematical formula used to find the length of a side of a triangle when given the lengths of the other two sides and the angle between them.

5. How accurate is estimating the hypotenuse of a triangle using the Pythagorean theorem?

Estimating the hypotenuse using the Pythagorean theorem can be quite accurate if the measurements of the other two sides are precise. However, it may not be as accurate for larger triangles with longer sides.

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