GCSE Maths question help please!

[Sharkattack2]

DD had the enclosed question in her GCSE intermediate maths exam, she has compared answers to her friends and they all have different! The triangle is not drawn to scale, can anyone explain how to answer this please?

[GreenTulips]

Draw it to scale

If correct the points will line up correctly with the right measurements

[MrsJakeLovell]

Use Pythagoras Theorem.

Does 12.82 + 222 = 25.6^2?

It doesn't so it is not possible to draw a right angled triangle with these dimensions.

WJEC?

[AlphaBlocks]

H squared = o squared + a squared. If this is the case then you know a right angle exists

[NoBaggyPants]

No, it's not.

If the measurements would fit a right angled triangle they'd satisfy Pythagoras Theorem. If you square the two smaller values, add them and then take a root of the value you get 26.06.

[coconuttelegraph]

Yes, just check whether the squares of the sides add up, when you say they have different answers the only possible ones are yes and no

My calculator tells me the answer is no

[bestofme]

Answer is no using Pythagoras' Theorem.

If you square two adjacent sides and add them together they do not equal the square of the opposite side

[Sharkattack2]

Thanks all, there’s a bit of upset over it as apparently they’ve never been taught this 🤔 lots of different answers from the class.

[LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD]

I have nooooo idea what any of you are talking about. God my maths is crap.

[Iggly]

Agree with what @MrsJakeLovell says

They should have learnt Pythagoras theorem for GCSE maths.

[MrsJakeLovell]

I can pretty much guarantee they will have been taught this. They just didn't recognise it in these circumstances!

I use this style question as a 'deepening thinking' question when I teach Pythagoras.

[PatriciaHolm]

They will absolutely know Pythagoras. The issue will be logically applying it to the problem, as it relies on you realising that's what you need to use rather than the standard find the missing side length sort of question.

[coconuttelegraph]

They've never been taught Pythagorus? I find that a bit hard to believe

[TeenTimesTwo]

Pythagoras is on the foundation paper for GCSEs. No intermediate paper in English GCSEs any more.
Even if you are doing iGCSE or Welsh GCSE (do they still have intermediate?) I'd expect them to know it.
Therefore I too suspect that they have done it, just not twigged that it applies here.
(Or they are very low set and never got onto the harder stuff, but then wouldn't have been doing an intermediate paper.)

[mummaminnie]

Sorry but they must have been taught the Pythagorean theorem. I remember DD doing this in primary.

[sackrifice]

a squared + b squared = c squared?

This is really basic maths.

[hidinginthenightgarden]

I can see the question but can’t help there, but I am a teacher and get kids saying we weren’t taught xyz. They were, they just didn’t recognise it in the question because I can’t teach them every single question that comes up!

[dementedpixie]

The picture isn't showing any more. I agree you would use pythagoras to answer it