If is an altitude to the hypotenuse of right triangle (with right angle at ), which statement is necessarily true?
Table of contents
- 0. Review of College Algebra4h 43m
- 1. Measuring Angles40m
- 2. Trigonometric Functions on Right Triangles2h 5m
- 3. Unit Circle1h 19m
- 4. Graphing Trigonometric Functions1h 19m
- 5. Inverse Trigonometric Functions and Basic Trigonometric Equations1h 41m
- 6. Trigonometric Identities and More Equations2h 34m
- 7. Non-Right Triangles1h 38m
- 8. Vectors2h 25m
- 9. Polar Equations2h 5m
- 10. Parametric Equations1h 6m
- 11. Graphing Complex Numbers1h 7m
0. Review of College Algebra
Pythagorean Theorem & Basics of Triangles
Multiple Choice
Based on Pythagorean identities, which equation is true?
A
B
C
D
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Verified step by step guidance1
Recall the fundamental Pythagorean identity in trigonometry, which states that for any angle \(x\), the sum of the squares of sine and cosine equals 1: \(\sin^{2}x + \cos^{2}x = 1\).
Examine the given equations and identify which one matches the Pythagorean identity. Notice that the identity involves the sum of \(\sin^{2}x\) and \(\cos^{2}x\), not their difference.
Understand that the equation \(\sin^{2}x - \cos^{2}x = 1\) is not true because subtracting \(\cos^{2}x\) from \(\sin^{2}x\) does not yield 1 for all \(x\).
Similarly, the equation \(\sin^{2}x - \cos^{2}x = 0\) is not the Pythagorean identity, and neither is \(\sin^{2}x + \cos^{2}x = 0\) because the sum of squares of sine and cosine cannot be zero for any real angle \(x\).
Therefore, the correct Pythagorean identity is the equation where the sum of \(\sin^{2}x\) and \(\cos^{2}x\) equals 1: \(\sin^{2}x + \cos^{2}x = 1\).
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