Shawna made an error in Step 1. The correct application of the Pythagorean theorem should relate the sides of a right triangle. If we have two sides (25 m and 7 m), and we want to find the hypotenuse \( a \), the correct formula using the Pythagorean theorem is:
\[ a^2 = 25^2 + 7^2 \]
Shawna wrote \( a^2 + 7^2 = 25^2 \), which is incorrect. The correct equation should be:
\[ a^2 = 25^2 + 7^2 \]
Thus, her mistake is in the way she applied the Pythagorean theorem in Step 1.