1. What is the Right Triangle Legs Calculation?

The right triangle legs calculation determines the lengths of the two shorter sides (legs) of a right triangle when you know the hypotenuse and one angle. This is based on fundamental trigonometric relationships.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses these trigonometric equations:

Where:

• \( a \) — First leg (adjacent to angle B)
• \( b \) — Second leg (opposite to angle B)
• \( c \) — Hypotenuse
• \( B \) — Angle between hypotenuse and leg a (in degrees)

Explanation: The equations use basic trigonometric functions to calculate the legs based on the known hypotenuse and angle.

3. Importance of Right Triangle Calculations

Details: These calculations are fundamental in geometry, physics, engineering, and many practical applications like construction and navigation.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter hypotenuse length (must be positive) and angle in degrees (typically between 0 and 90 for right triangles). The calculator will compute both legs.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What if my angle is 90 degrees?
A: At exactly 90 degrees, one leg would equal the hypotenuse (a = c) and the other leg would be zero (b = 0), which isn't a valid triangle.

Q2: Can I use radians instead of degrees?
A: This calculator uses degrees. If you have radians, convert to degrees first (degrees = radians × 180/π).

Q3: What are typical applications of this calculation?
A: Used in construction (roof pitch, stair angles), physics (vector components), and computer graphics (coordinate transformations).

Q4: What if I know two sides but not the angle?
A: You would use inverse trigonometric functions (arctan, arcsin, arccos) to find the angle.

Q5: Does this work for non-right triangles?
A: No, these specific equations only work for right triangles. For other triangles, you would use the Law of Sines or Cosines.