#right triangles

[ravewing]

ever since i learned what a hypotenuse was i have always walked the hypotenuse instead of in a right angle and i think its saved me like a million steps

[er-cryptid]

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[scarcelyodd]

Math: The Language of Physics

Let's talk about what you'll need out of math - the language of physics. #math #physics #physicsexplained

This post is all about math, because in order to go beyond purely conceptual physics, you need to be comfortable with mathematics. It’s how physicists talk to each other; it’s the language of physics.

So, what math skills do you need to successfully follow this blog? Since I’m starting out with algebra-based mechanics, you definitely need to be comfortable with algebra. You also need to know…

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[pwnthesat]

" If the points (2,a) and (14,b) are 20 units apart , what is |a -- b| ? " -- How can we use the information given in the sentence " 20 units apart " ??

This is really a right triangles question. To see why, a visual aid might help. Here’s the x = 2 line and the x = 14 line:

The straight line distance between the lines is 12. 

If we keep (2, 0) as one of our points, and move up or down on the x = 14 line, we can see the triangle form.

We know the hypotenuse must be 20, and we know one leg is 12, so we just need to solve for the other leg.

12^2 + b^2 = 20^2144 + b^2 = 400b^2 = 256b = 16

So the vertical leg must be 16 units long for the hypotenuse to be 20 units long.

(Shortcut opportunity: 12-16-20 is a Pythagorean triple—a bigger brother of the 3-4-5!)

[wolframalpha]

A good day to feel right. Happy Pythagorean Theorem Day!

https://wolfr.am/nMMhWHq2

[er-cryptid]

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[er-cryptid]

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