find the equation of the sides of an isosceles right angled triangle whose vertex is (-2,3) and the base is on the line x=0

An isosceles right triangle has two equal length legs and the hypotenuse side as its base

The equation of the sides of the isosceles right triangle are;

x = 0 (equation of the base)

y = 1 - x

y = x + 5

The reason for arriving at the above equations are as follows:

The given parameters of the isosceles right triangle are:

The coordinate of the vertex of the triangle = (-2, 3)

The base of the triangle, x = 0

The required parameter:

The equation of the sides of the isosceles triangle

Strategy:

Define the terms and relate the given information with the given term definitions

Solution:

The base of an isosceles triangle is the side that form the equal base angles with the two equal sides of the triangle

In an isosceles right triangle, the two equal sides of the right triangle are the legs of the right triangle, and therefore, the base of the triangle is the hypotenuse side

The base angles of an isosceles right triangle, = 45°

The altitude of the triangle, y = (0 - (-2) = 2

The altitude is a perpendicular bisector of the base, therefore;

Therefore;

We get:

The coordinate of the midpoint of the base is the horizontal line from the vertex to the base, and therefore, the coordinate of the midpoint of the base is x = 0, and y = 3 = (0, 3)

The base is 4 units long and half the base length = 4/2 = 2 units

The coordinates of vertex at the base is given by adding or subtracting 2 from the y-coordinates of midpoint of the base as follows;

Vertex coordinates at the base = (0, 3 + 2) = (0, 5), and (0, 3 - 2) = (0, 1)

The slope, m₁, of the side, s₁, with endpoints (-2, 3), and (0, 1), is found as follows;

m₁ = (1 - 3)/(0 - (-2)) = -1

Therefore, the equation of the side s₁ is (y - 1) = -1·(x - 0), which gives;

y = -x + 1

The slope, m₂, of the side, s₂, with endpoints (-2, 3), and (0, 5), is found as follows;

m₂ = (5 - 3)/(0 - (-2)) = 1

Therefore, the equation of the other side s₂ is (y - 5) = 1·(x - 0), which gives;

y = x + 5

The equation of the sides are; x = 0 (given), y = 1 - x, and y = x + 5

Learn more about finding the equation of a line here:

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Step-by-step explanation:

This is an isosceles right triangle, so triangles ABD and CBD are congruent.

∠ ABD = ∠CBD = 45°

The slope of BC = tan(45°)  =  1, and

The slope of BA = tan(-45°) = -1.

1. Equation of BC

The point-slope formula for a straight line is

y - y₁ = m(x - x₁)

x₁ = -2; y₁ = 3; m = 1  

Substitute the values

2. Equation of BA

x₁ = -2; y₁ = 3; m = -1  

Substitute the values