To solve the equation \( 18^2 + b^2 = 30^2 \), we can determine whether it represents a right triangle using the Pythagorean theorem, where \( c \) is the length of the hypotenuse and \( a \) and \( b \) are the lengths of the other two sides.
-
Calculate \( 18^2 \) and \( 30^2 \):
\( 18^2 = 324 \)
\( 30^2 = 900 \)
-
Substitute these values into the equation:
\( 324 + b^2 = 900 \)
-
To find \( b^2 \), rearrange the equation:
\( b^2 = 900 - 324 \)
\( b^2 = 576 \)
-
Now, take the square root of both sides to find \( b \):
\( b = \sqrt{576} = 24 \)
With this information, we conclude that:
The triangle is a right triangle with a missing leg length of 24.