How to Calculate Area and Perimeter of a Right Triangle for GED Math

Finding the Area of a Right Triangle

• 💡 The formula for the area of a triangle is 1/2 base times height.
• 🎯 In this problem, the base is given as 6. The height needs to be determined.
• 🔑 We recognize the 6-8-10 right triangle, a multiple of the 3-4-5 special right triangle.
• ⚡ The height is confirmed to be 8 using the Pythagorean theorem (a² + b² = c²), where 6² + 8² = 10².
• 📊 With a base of 6 and a height of 8, the area is calculated as 1/2 * 6 * 8 = 24.

Calculating the Perimeter of a Right Triangle

• ➕ The perimeter is the sum of all three sides of the triangle.
• 📐 Using the sides 6, 8, and 10, the perimeter is 6 + 8 + 10 = 24.

Sum of Area and Perimeter

• 🧮 The question asks for the sum of the area and the perimeter.
• ✅ The area is 24 and the perimeter is 24, so their sum is 24 + 24 = 48.

Special Right Triangles

• 🌟 The video highlights that special right triangle ratios (like 3-4-5) can be multiplied by a factor to find other common right triangles (e.g., 6-8-10, 10-24-26, 15-36-39).
• 🔍 Recognizing these multiples is key to quickly identifying side lengths when given one or two sides.