Question

If a right triangle has legs are both 12 cm long, how long is the hypotenuse? round the answer to the nearest hundredth

Answer 1

To find the length of the hypotenuse \( c \) in a right triangle with legs \( a \) and \( b \), you can use the Pythagorean theorem:

\[
c = \sqrt{a^2 + b^2}
\]

In this case, both legs are 12 cm long:

\[
c = \sqrt{12^2 + 12^2}
\]
\[
c = \sqrt{144 + 144}
\]
\[
c = \sqrt{288}
\]
\[
c = \sqrt{288} \approx 16.97
\]

Thus, the length of the hypotenuse, rounded to the nearest hundredth, is approximately **16.97 cm**.