cathetus
Sign in to saveframe|A right-angled triangle where c1 and c2 are the catheti and h is the hypotenuse
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A cathetus is one of the two shorter sides of a right triangle that form the right angle, as opposed to the hypotenuse, which is the longest side opposite the right angle. Understanding catheti matters in geometry and trigonometry because their lengths and relationships determine the properties of right triangles and are used in the Pythagorean theorem.
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frame|A right-angled triangle where c1 and c2 are the catheti and h is the hypotenuse
In a right triangle, a cathetus (originally from Greek , "perpendicular"; plural: catheti), commonly known as a leg, is either of the sides that are adjacent to the right angle. It is occasionally called a "side about the right angle". The side opposite the right angle is the hypotenuse. In the context of the hypotenuse, the catheti are sometimes referred to simply as "the other two sides".