Solving Problems Using Pythagoras

A note before you start:

Give each answer correct to 1 decimal place.

1. Calculate the areas of these isosceles triangles:

Hint: You might find it useful to split your triangle down the middle. Draw the triangle you
now have.

Area: cm2 Area: cm2

8cm 8cm 10cm

7cm

6cm

 

 

 

 

2. Calculate the area of an isosceles triangle with sides of 10cm, 10cm and 5cm.
Hint: Draw the triangle and label the measurements.

Area: cm2


3. How long is the diagonal of a square with a side of 12cm?

Hint: Draw your square then draw a diagonal line from corner to corner. Draw the triangle you
have just created again and label it.

 Answer: cm

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 Solving Problems Using Pythagoras

4. Calculate the area of an equilateral triangle of side 5cm.

Hint: Think about the properties of an equilateral triangle.

 Area: cm2

5. A ship sets off from port and travels 20 miles west. It then travels 12 miles north to a lighthouse.
This journey takes 1 hour. Assuming the ship travels at the same average speed, how much time
would be saved by travelling directly to the lighthouse in a straight line?
Hint: Draw out the information.

6. An isosceles triangle has sides of 6cm and 9cm.

a. Sketch the two different isosceles triangles that fit this description.

b. Which of the two triangles has the greater area?

 

 

 

 

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 Solving Problems Using Pythagoras

7. A ladder, which is 4m long, is placed against a wall.

a. How far up the wall will it reach when the foot of the ladder is 1m away from the wall?

Hint: Draw out the information to help you visualise the question


Answer: m



b. When it reaches 2.8m up the wall, how far away is the foot of the ladder from the wall?


Answer: m



8. Calculate the area of an equilateral triangle with a side of 10cm.


Area: cm2




9. These triangles have the same perimeter:

5cm 5cm 4.5cm 4.5cm 5cm

4cm

2cm
3cm 3cm

a. Do the three triangles have the same area? Justify your answer.








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 Solving Problems Using Pythagoras

b. Find another triangle with the same perimeter but with a larger area.

10. A and B are two points on a centimetre squared coordinate grid. The coordinates of A are (12, 5)
and the coordinates of B are (2, 3). How long is the line that joins them?

Hint: Calculate the difference in your x-coordinates and then your y-coordinates. Think about
how this could make a triangle.


Answer: cm




11. Calculate the length marked x.

Hint: Don’t forget to double.

 x: cm
13cm
12cm 

x 

12. Is this triangle a right-angled triangle? Give a reason for your answer.
Hint: Apply Pythagoras’ theorem.

4cm


9cm

11cm


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 Solving Problems Using Pythagoras

13. The diagonal of a rectangle measures 8cm. If one of its sides is 6cm long:

a. calculate the perimeter of the rectangle;

 Perimeter: cm




b. calculate the area of the rectangle.

 Area: cm2

14. Albi is buying a television. It has a 34-inch screen.

a. If it is 14 inches tall, how wide is the screen?

 Answer: inches


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Solving Problems Using Pythagoras Answers
A note before you start:

Give each answer correct to 1 decimal place.

1. Calculate the areas of these isosceles triangles:

Hint: You might find it useful to split your triangle down the middle. Draw the triangle you
now have.

Area: 22.2cm2 Area: 50.0cm2

8cm 8cm 10cm

7cm

6cm

Height: Base:

82 – 32 = 55 102 – 72 = 51

√55 = 7.416198487 √51 = 7.141428429

Area: Double: 14.28285686

1/2 × 6 × 7.416198487 = 22.24859546 Area: 1/2 × 7 × 14.28285686 = 49.989999

2. Calculate the area of an isosceles triangle with sides of 10cm, 10cm and 5cm.
Hint: Draw the triangle and label the measurements.

Height:
Area: 24.2cm2
102 – 2.52 = 93.75
√93.75 = 9.682458366
Area:
1/2 × 9.682458366 × 5 = 24.20614591

3. How long is the diagonal of a square with a side of 12cm?

Hint: Draw your square then draw a diagonal line from corner to corner. Draw the triangle you
have just created again and label it.

122 + 122 = 288 Answer: 17.0cm

√288 = 16.97056275

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 Solving Problems Using Pythagoras Answers

4. Calculate the area of an equilateral triangle of side 5cm.

Hint: Think about the properties of an equilateral triangle.

Height:
Area: 10.8cm2
52 – 2.52 = 18.75
√18.75 = 4.330127019
Area:
1/2 × 5 × 4.330127019 = 10.82531755

5. A ship sets off from port and travels 20 miles west. It then travels 12 miles north to a lighthouse.
This journey takes 1 hour. Assuming the ship travels at the same average speed, how much time
would be saved by travelling directly to the lighthouse in a straight line?
Hint: Draw out the information.

Speed = 32mph
202 + 122 = 544
√544 = 23.32380758
23.32380758 ÷ 32 = 0.728868986 hours
= 43 minutes and 44 seconds.
This way would have saved 16 minutes and 16 seconds.

6. An isosceles triangle has sides of 6cm and 9cm.

a. Sketch the two different isosceles triangles that fit this description.

9cm 9cm 6cm 6cm

6cm 9cm

b. Which of the two triangles has the greater area?

92 – 32 62 – 4.52
81 – 9 = 72 36 – 20.25 = 15.75
√72 = 8.485281374 √15.75 = 3.968626967
1/2 × 8.485281374 × 6 = 25.45584412 1/2 × 9 × 3.968626967 = 17.85882135
Area = 25.5cm2 Area = 17.9cm2

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 Solving Problems Using Pythagoras Answers

7. A ladder, which is 4m long, is placed against a wall.

a. How far up the wall will it reach when the foot of the ladder is 1m away from the wall?

Hint: Draw out the information to help you visualise the question

42 – 12 = 15
Answer: 3.9m
√15 = 3.872983346

b. When it reaches 2.8m up the wall, how far away is the foot of the ladder from the wall?

42 – 2.82 = 8.16
Answer: 2.9m
√8.16 = 2.856571371

8. Calculate the area of an equilateral triangle with a side of 10cm.

102 – 52
Area: 43.3cm2
100 – 25 = 75
√75 = 8.660254038
1/2 × 10 × 8.660254038 = 43.3012701

9. These triangles have the same perimeter:

5cm 5cm 4.5cm 4.5cm 5cm

4cm

2cm
3cm 3cm

a. Do the three triangles have the same area? Justify your answer.

Triangle 1: Triangle 2: Triangle 3:

52 – 12 4.52 – 1.52 1/2 × 3 × 4 = 6.0cm2
25 – 1 = 24 20.25 – 2.25 = 18 Each triangle has a different area.
√24 = 4.898979486 √18 = 4.242640687
1/2 × 4.898979486 × 2 1/2 × 4.242640687 × 3
= 4.898979486cm 2
= 6.363961031cm2
Area = 4.9cm2 Area = 6.4cm2

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 Solving Problems Using Pythagoras Answers

b. Find another triangle with the same perimeter but with a larger area.

For example, an equilateral triangle with sides of 4cm.

10. A and B are two points on a centimetre squared coordinate grid. The coordinates of A are (12, 5)
and the coordinates of B are (2, 3). How long is the line that joins them?

Hint: Calculate the difference in your x-coordinates and then your y-coordinates. Think about
how this could make a triangle.

12 – 2 = 10
Answer: 10.2cm
5–3=2
102 + 22 = 104
√104 = 10.19803903

11. Calculate the length marked x.

Hint: Don’t forget to double.

132 – 122 = 25
x: 10.0cm
13cm √25 = 5
12cm
5 × 2 = 10

12. Is this triangle a right-angled triangle? Give a reason for your answer.
Hint: Apply Pythagoras’ theorem.

4cm
92 + 42 = 97

√97 = 9.848857802
9cm
11cm
Therefore, this cannot be a right-angled triangle.

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 Solving Problems Using Pythagoras Answers

13. The diagonal of a rectangle measures 8cm. If one of its sides is 6cm long:

a. calculate the perimeter of the rectangle;

82 – 62 = 28 Perimeter: 22.6cm
√28 = 5.291502622
6 + 6 + 5.291502622 + 5.291502622 = 22.58300524

b. calculate the area of the rectangle.

6 × 5.291502622 = 31.74902573 Area: 31.7cm2

14. Albi is buying a television. It has a 34-inch screen.

a. If it is 14 inches tall, how wide is the screen?

342 – 142 = 960 Answer: 31.0 inches

√960 = 30.98386677

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