We can use the Pythagorean theorem to find the length of the unknown leg, which states that in a right triangle, the sum of the squares of the two shorter sides is equal to the square of the longest side (hypotenuse).
So, we have:
a^2 + 10^2 = 16^2
Simplifying, we get:
a^2 + 100 = 256
Subtracting 100 from both sides:
a^2 = 156
Taking the square root of both sides, we get:
a ≈ 12.5
Therefore, the length of the unknown leg to the nearest tenth is 12.5, option B.
1. what is the length of the unknown leg to the nearest tenth?
side 1 = a
side 2 = 10
side 3 =16
a. 2.4
b. 12.5
c. 5.1
d. 18.9
1 answer