Right triangle Right triangle A right triangle (American English) or right-angled triangle (British English) is a triangle in which one angle is a right angle (that is, a 90-degree angle). The relation between the sides and angles of a right triangle is the basis for trigonometry. The side opposite the right angle is called the "hypotenuse" (side "c" in the figure). The sides adjacent to the right angle are called "legs" (or "catheti", singular: "cathetus"). Side "a" may be identified as the side "adjacent to angle B" and "opposed to" (or "opposite") "angle A", while side "b" is the side "adjacent to
Special right triangle are in the ratio 1 : 2 : 3 and respectively measure 30° (), 60° (), and 90° (). The sides are in the ratio 1 : : 2. The proof of this fact is clear using trigonometry. The geometric proof is: The 30°–60°–90° triangle is the only right triangle whose angles are in an arithmetic progression. The proof of this fact is simple and follows on from the fact that if "α", , are the angles in the progression then the sum of the angles = 180°. After dividing by 3, the angle must be 60°. The right angle