Multivariable Calculus, 7th Edition

Published by Brooks Cole
ISBN 10: 0-53849-787-4
ISBN 13: 978-0-53849-787-9

Chapter 12 - Vectors and the Geometry of Space - 12.1 Exercises - Page 814: 7

Answer

The lengths are $|PQ|=6$, $|PR|=6$, and $|QR|=2\sqrt{10}.$ The triangle is isosceles but is not a right triangle.

Work Step by Step

To find the lengths of the legs of the triangle, we must find the distance between each pair of points. $$|PQ|=\sqrt{(7-3)^2+(0+2)^2+(1+3)^2} \\=\sqrt{(4)^2+(2)^2+(4)^2} \\=\sqrt{16+4+16}\\=\sqrt{36}\\=6.$$ $$|PR|=\sqrt{(1-3)^2+(2+2)^2+(1+3)^2} \\=\sqrt{(-2)^2+(4)^2+(4)^2} \\=\sqrt{4+16+16}\\=\sqrt{36}\\=6.$$ $$|QR|=\sqrt{(1-7)^2+(2-0)^2+(1-1)^2} \\=\sqrt{(-6)^2+(2)^2+(0)^2} \\=\sqrt{36+4+0}\\=\sqrt{40}\\=\sqrt{4(10)}\\=2\sqrt{10}.$$ Now, if a triangle has two sides of equal length, then it is isosceles. So since $|PQ|=|PR|=6$, our triangle is isosceles. And for a triangle to be a right triangle, the square of the longest side must equal the sum of the squares of the other two sides. The longest side of our triangle is $|PQ|=2\sqrt{10}$, but $$|PQ|^2+|PR|^2=36+36=72\neq 40=|QR|^2.$$ So our triangle is not a right triangle.
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