C hypot() Function

The hypot() function in C is a standard library function that computes the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle given the lengths of the other two sides. It is part of the C standard library (math.h). This function is useful for performing calculations involving the Pythagorean theorem.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. hypot() Function Syntax
  3. Understanding hypot() Function
  4. Examples
    • Computing the Hypotenuse of a Right-Angled Triangle
    • Using hypot() with User Input
  5. Real-World Use Case
  6. Conclusion

Introduction

The hypot() function calculates the length of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle given the lengths of the other two sides. This is based on the Pythagorean theorem, which states that the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.

hypot() Function Syntax

The syntax for the hypot() function is as follows:

#include <math.h>
double hypot(double x, double y);

Parameters:

  • x: The length of one side of the right-angled triangle.
  • y: The length of the other side of the right-angled triangle.

Returns:

  • The function returns the length of the hypotenuse of the right-angled triangle.

Understanding hypot() Function

The hypot() function takes the lengths of the two sides of a right-angled triangle and returns the length of the hypotenuse. It effectively computes the square root of the sum of the squares of the two input values: ( \sqrt{x^2 + y^2} ).

Examples

Computing the Hypotenuse of a Right-Angled Triangle

To demonstrate how to use hypot() to compute the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle, we will write a simple program.

Example

#include <stdio.h>
#include <math.h>

int main() {
    double side1 = 3.0;
    double side2 = 4.0;

    // Compute the hypotenuse of the right-angled triangle
    double hypotenuse = hypot(side1, side2);

    // Print the result
    printf("The hypotenuse of the triangle with sides %.2f and %.2f is: %.2f\n", side1, side2, hypotenuse);

    return 0;
}

Output:

The hypotenuse of the triangle with sides 3.00 and 4.00 is: 5.00

Using hypot() with User Input

This example shows how to use hypot() to compute the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle with user-provided side lengths.

Example

#include <stdio.h>
#include <math.h>

int main() {
    double side1, side2;

    // Get user input for the side lengths
    printf("Enter the length of side 1: ");
    scanf("%lf", &side1);
    printf("Enter the length of side 2: ");
    scanf("%lf", &side2);

    // Compute the hypotenuse of the right-angled triangle
    double hypotenuse = hypot(side1, side2);

    // Print the result
    printf("The hypotenuse of the triangle with sides %.2f and %.2f is: %.2f\n", side1, side2, hypotenuse);

    return 0;
}

Output (example user input side1 "5.0" and side2 "12.0"):

Enter the length of side 1: 5.0
Enter the length of side 2: 12.0
The hypotenuse of the triangle with sides 5.00 and 12.00 is: 13.00

Real-World Use Case

Calculating Distance Between Two Points

In real-world applications, the hypot() function can be used to calculate the Euclidean distance between two points in a plane.

Example: Calculating Distance Between Two Points

#include <stdio.h>
#include <math.h>

int main() {
    double x1, y1, x2, y2;

    // Get user input for the coordinates of the points
    printf("Enter the coordinates of the first point (x1 y1): ");
    scanf("%lf %lf", &x1, &y1);
    printf("Enter the coordinates of the second point (x2 y2): ");
    scanf("%lf %lf", &x2, &y2);

    // Calculate the distance between the two points
    double distance = hypot(x2 - x1, y2 - y1);

    // Print the result
    printf("The distance between the points (%.2f, %.2f) and (%.2f, %.2f) is: %.2f\n", x1, y1, x2, y2, distance);

    return 0;
}

Output (example user input points (0, 0) and (3, 4)):

Enter the coordinates of the first point (x1 y1): 0 0
Enter the coordinates of the second point (x2 y2): 3 4
The distance between the points (0.00, 0.00) and (3.00, 4.00) is: 5.00

Conclusion

The hypot() function is essential for computing the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle in C. It is useful in various mathematical calculations, particularly in fields like geometry, physics, and engineering, where the Pythagorean theorem is applied.

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