Copyright © University of Cambridge. All rights reserved.

'Right Angled Possibilities' printed from https://nrich.maths.org/

Show menu


Answer: 2 possibilities



 

$5^2 + 6^2 = 25+36=61$
$\therefore$ thrid side is $\sqrt{61}$



 
$6^2 - 5^2 = 36-25=11$
$\therefore$ thrid side is $\sqrt{11}$ 





Impossible since the hypotenuse should be the longest side

 


$\therefore$ there are only 2 possibilities.


This problem is taken from the UKMT Mathematical Challenges.
You can find more short problems, arranged by curriculum topic, in our short problems collection.