Triangle Calculator

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Right Triangles

A right triangle has one 90° angle. The side opposite the right angle is the hypotenuse (c) — the longest side. The other two sides are called legs (a and b). The Pythagorean theorem relates them: a² + b² = c². Knowing any two sides lets you solve for the third.

Heron's Formula (SSS)

When you know all three side lengths, Heron's formula finds the area without needing a height or angle:

s = (a + b + c) / 2   (semi-perimeter)
Area = √( s(s−a)(s−b)(s−c) )

Law of Cosines (Finding Angles)

Given three sides, the law of cosines finds each angle:

cos(A) = (b² + c² − a²) / (2bc)
cos(B) = (a² + c² − b²) / (2ac)
cos(C) = (a² + b² − c²) / (2ab)

Triangle Types

  • Equilateral — all three sides equal; all angles are 60°.
  • Isosceles — exactly two sides equal; the angles opposite the equal sides are equal.
  • Scalene — all three sides different; all angles different.
  • Right — one 90° angle; identified by a² + b² = c².

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pythagorean theorem?

The Pythagorean theorem states that in a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the 90° angle) equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides: a² + b² = c². It only applies to right triangles.

How do you find the area of a triangle?

For a right triangle: Area = (1/2) × base × height. For any triangle when all three sides are known, use Heron's formula: Area = √(s(s−a)(s−b)(s−c)) where s = (a+b+c)/2 is the semi-perimeter.

What makes a valid triangle?

The triangle inequality theorem states that the sum of any two sides must be greater than the third side. If a + b > c, b + c > a, and a + c > b, the sides form a valid triangle. If any of these fail, no triangle can be constructed.

What is Heron's formula?

Heron's formula calculates the area of a triangle using only its three side lengths, without needing to know an angle or height. Given sides a, b, c: first compute the semi-perimeter s = (a+b+c)/2, then Area = √(s(s−a)(s−b)(s−c)).

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