Let's say I have a right triangle (ABC) with two medians drawn A to the side of BC, which cuts it in half, and the median from BC that cuts side AC in half. Then, how would I find the length of the hypotenuse? Thank you!
Wait, I can label the bottom parts as 1/2a and 1/2a, and I can label the top parts as 1/2b and 1/2b.
There are also two triangles at the top, so I can use the Pythagorean Theorem?
Ant, I assume we know the length of the medians....if so....
Call one median AD and the other BE
Then,,,,we have two right triangles ADC and BEC
So.....this sets up a system of equations using the Pythagorean Theorem
[ (1/2)AC]^2 + [BC]^2 = [BE]^2 ⇒ (1/4)AC^2 + BC^2 = BE^2 (1)
[ (AC]^2 + [ [(1/2)BC]^2 = [ AD]^2 ⇒ AC^2 + (1/4)BC^2 = AD^2 (2)
Multiply (1) by -4 and we have
-AC^2 - 4BC^2 = - 4BE^2
AC^2 + (1/4)BC^2 = AD^2 add these
(-15/4)BC^2 = -4BE^2 + AD^2
Since we assume that we know BE and AD, we can solve this for BC and then use either (1) or (2) to find AC
Then.....just use thePythagorean Theorem again to find AB