Which term defines the longest side of a right triangle?

In a right triangle, the longest side is referred to as the hypotenuse. This side is positioned opposite the right angle and is significantly longer than the other two sides. By definition, the hypotenuse is critical in trigonometry and the Pythagorean theorem, which states that the square of the hypotenuse's length is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides, known as the legs.

The base and the altitude are terms that relate more to the properties of triangles in general rather than specifically defining sides of a right triangle. The base refers to any side of a triangle that is chosen as the bottom for measurement or calculation, while altitude refers to the height of the triangle perpendicular to that base.

The legs are the two sides that form the right angle in a right triangle, and while they are important, they are not the longest sides; the hypotenuse always surpasses them in length. Understanding these definitions is fundamental in geometry and aids in solving various problems involving right triangles.