Right Triangle Calculator – How It Works
This Right Triangle Calculator uses the Pythagorean theorem and trigonometric functions to solve for missing sides and angles. You can solve the triangle from two sides, from a side and an angle, explore basic trig ratios, and check whether three lengths form a right triangle.
Right Triangle Basics
A right triangle has one angle equal to 90°. The sides are usually labeled so that the hypotenuse c is opposite the right angle, and the legs a and b form the right angle. The acute angles A and B always satisfy:
The Pythagorean theoremates the three sides:
Solving a Right Triangle
If you know two pieces of information (such as two sides, or one side and one acute angle), you can solve the rest of the triangle. The calculator supports common combinations:
- Two legs: a and b
- One leg and the hypotenuse: a and c, or b and c
- Hypotenuse and an acute angle: c and A, or c and B
- Leg and its opposite acute angle: a and A, or b and B
From these inputs, it finds remaining sides using the Pythagorean theorem and angles using sine, cosine, and tangentationships.
Trig Ratios in a Right Triangle
For an acute angle θ in a right triangle, the basic trigonometric ratios are:
Their reciprocals are:
Pythagorean Check
When you enter three side lengths, the Pythagorean Checker identifies the largest side as the potential hypotenuse and evaluates the expression:
If this difference is zero (within rounding tolerance), the triangle is right-angled. A small non-zero difference indicates the sides are close to a Pythagorean triple but not exact.
Try more free tools on MyTimeCalculator for geometry, trigonometry, algebra, finance, health, and science to speed up your calculations and learning.