For a right triangle with legs 6 and 8, what is its area?

• A. 20
• B. 24
• C. 28
• D. 32

Answer: (B)

In any right triangle, the area is half the product of the two perpendicular sides, treated as base and height. With legs 6 and 8, the area is 1/2 × 6 × 8 = 24. Think of a 6 by 8 rectangle (area 48); the triangle is exactly half of that rectangle, so its area is 24. The other numbers don’t fit this half-product of the legs.