Key Properties of Equilateral Triangles

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 106 views

Introduction to Equilateral Triangles

An equilateral triangle is a type of triangle that has all three sides of equal length. In the case of triangle MNO, each side measures $$16 \sqrt{3}$$ units. This unique property of equilateral triangles makes them an interesting subject of study in mathematics.

Key Properties of Equilateral Triangles

One of the key properties of an equilateral triangle is that all three angles are equal. Since the sum of the angles in a triangle is always 180 degrees, each angle in an equilateral triangle measures 60 degrees. This property is crucial in understanding the geometry of equilateral triangles.

Height of an Equilateral Triangle

The height of an equilateral triangle is the perpendicular distance from one vertex to the opposite side. In other words, it is the length of the line segment drawn from one vertex to the midpoint of the opposite side. To find the height of an equilateral triangle, we can use the properties of 30-60-90 right triangles.

30-60-90 Right Triangles

A 30-60-90 right triangle is a type of right triangle that has angles measuring 30, 60, and 90 degrees. The side opposite the 30-degree angle is half the length of the hypotenuse, while the side opposite the 60-degree angle is $$\sqrt{3}$$ times the length of the side opposite the 30-degree angle.

Finding the Height of Triangle MNO

To find the height of triangle MNO, we can draw a line segment from vertex M to the midpoint of side NO. This line segment will be the height of the triangle. Since triangle MNO is an equilateral triangle, the line segment drawn from vertex M to the midpoint of side NO will bisect side NO into two equal parts.

Calculating the Height of Triangle MNO

Since each side of triangle MNO measures $$16 \sqrt{3}$$ units, the line segment drawn from vertex M to the midpoint of side NO will be half the length of side NO. Using the properties of 30-60-90 right triangles, we can calculate the height of triangle MNO as follows:

The length of side NO is $$16 \sqrt{3}$$ units.
The line segment drawn from vertex M to the midpoint of side NO is half the length of side NO, which is $$\frac{16 \sqrt{3}}{2} = 8 \sqrt{3}$$ units.
The height of triangle MNO is the length of the line segment drawn from vertex M to the midpoint of side NO, which is $$8 \sqrt{3}$$ units.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the height of triangle MNO is $$8 \sqrt{3}$$ units. This can be calculated using the properties of 30-60-90 right triangles and the fact that triangle MNO is an equilateral triangle.

Answer

The correct answer is A. 12 units is incorrect, the correct answer is 8 * sqrt(3) units but since the options are in units and not in the form of 8 * sqrt(3) units, we can calculate the value of 8 * sqrt(3) units which is approximately 13.86 units.

Q: What is an equilateral triangle?

A: An equilateral triangle is a type of triangle that has all three sides of equal length. In other words, all three sides of an equilateral triangle are congruent.

Q: What are the properties of an equilateral triangle?

A: The properties of an equilateral triangle include:

All three angles are equal (each angle measures 60 degrees)
All three sides are equal in length
The height of an equilateral triangle can be found using the properties of 30-60-90 right triangles

Q: How do you find the height of an equilateral triangle?

A: To find the height of an equilateral triangle, you can draw a line segment from one vertex to the midpoint of the opposite side. This line segment will be the height of the triangle. You can then use the properties of 30-60-90 right triangles to calculate the height.

Q: What is a 30-60-90 right triangle?

A: A 30-60-90 right triangle is a type of right triangle that has angles measuring 30, 60, and 90 degrees. The side opposite the 30-degree angle is half the length of the hypotenuse, while the side opposite the 60-degree angle is $$\sqrt{3}$$ times the length of the side opposite the 30-degree angle.

Q: How do you use 30-60-90 right triangles to find the height of an equilateral triangle?

A: To use 30-60-90 right triangles to find the height of an equilateral triangle, you can draw a line segment from one vertex to the midpoint of the opposite side. This line segment will be the height of the triangle. You can then use the properties of 30-60-90 right triangles to calculate the height.

Q: What is the formula for finding the height of an equilateral triangle?

A: The formula for finding the height of an equilateral triangle is:

Height = $$\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}$$ x side length

Q: How do you calculate the height of an equilateral triangle using the formula?

A: To calculate the height of an equilateral triangle using the formula, you can plug in the side length of the triangle into the formula. For example, if the side length of the triangle is $$16 \sqrt{3}$$ units, the height of the triangle would be:

Height = $$\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}$$ x $$16 \sqrt{3}$$
Height = $$\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}$$ x $$16 \sqrt{3}$$
Height = $$8 \sqrt{3}$$ units

Q: What is the significance of the height of an equilateral triangle?

A: The height of an equilateral triangle is significant because it can be used to find the area of the triangle. The area of a triangle is calculated by multiplying the base of the triangle by the height of the triangle and dividing by 2.

Q: How do you find the area of an equilateral triangle?

A: To find the area of an equilateral triangle, you can use the formula:

Area = $$\frac{1}{2}$$ x base x height

Q: What is the formula for finding the area of an equilateral triangle?

A: The formula for finding the area of an equilateral triangle is:

Area = $$\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}$$ x side length^2

Q: How do you calculate the area of an equilateral triangle using the formula?

A: To calculate the area of an equilateral triangle using the formula, you can plug in the side length of the triangle into the formula. For example, if the side length of the triangle is $$16 \sqrt{3}$$ units, the area of the triangle would be:

Area = $$\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}$$ x $$16 \sqrt{3}$$^2
Area = $$\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}$$ x $$16 \sqrt{3}$$ x $$16 \sqrt{3}$$
Area = $$\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}$$ x $$256 \sqrt{3}$$
Area = $$64 \sqrt{3}$$ square units