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GCSE Mathematics · key term
The side opposite the right angle in a right-angled triangle; it is the triangle’s longest side.
Used by AQA, Edexcel and OCR
Specification G5, G20 · Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3
The longest side of a right-angled triangle, opposite its right angle.
Revise: Triangle Congruence CriteriaRHS (right angle–hypotenuse–side): both triangles are right-angled, their hypotenuses are equal, and one other pair of corresponding sides is equal. The right angle is essential. In a right-angled triangle, the hypotenuse lies opposite it.
Mark the right angle before choosing a formula. In Pythagoras’ theorem, must be the hypotenuse.
Mark the right angle and identify the hypotenuse before substituting any values. The hypotenuse is opposite the right angle, not simply the side that looks longest in a diagram.
Add the squares when finding the hypotenuse; subtract the known shorter side's square from the hypotenuse's square when finding another shorter side.
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Specification G5, G6, G20, G21 · Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3
The side opposite the right angle in a right-angled triangle.
Revise: Congruence CriteriaRHS (right angle–hypotenuse–side): both triangles are right-angled, their hypotenuses are equal and one other pair of corresponding sides is equal.
The side opposite the right angle in a right-angled triangle; it is always the triangle's longest side.
The longest side of a right-angled triangle; it is always opposite the right angle.
The longest side of a right-angled triangle; it is opposite the right angle.
Specification 6.02d, 8.04a, 9.02a, 10.05a, 10.05b, 10.05c · Paper 1 (Foundation), Paper 2 (Foundation), Paper 3 (Foundation), Paper 4 (Higher), Paper 5 (Higher), Paper 6 (Higher)
The side opposite the right angle in a right-angled triangle.
The longest side of a right-angled triangle, opposite its right angle.