Question

Finding the missing side of the right triangle. Round your answer to the nearest tenth.

we have 18 and 8

Answer 1

To find the missing side of a right triangle when you have two sides, you can use the Pythagorean theorem, which states:

\[
a^2 + b^2 = c^2
\]

where \(c\) is the length of the hypotenuse, and \(a\) and \(b\) are the lengths of the other two sides.

From your provided numbers, let's assume:
- One side \(a = 8\)
- Hypotenuse \(c = 18\)

We need to find the missing side \(b\). Using the Pythagorean theorem:

\[
8^2 + b^2 = 18^2
\]

Calculating the squares:

\[
64 + b^2 = 324
\]

Now, isolate \(b^2\):

\[
b^2 = 324 - 64
\]
\[
b^2 = 260
\]

Now, take the square root to find \(b\):

\[
b = \sqrt{260}
\]

Calculating \( \sqrt{260} \):

\[
b \approx 16.1245
\]

Rounding to the nearest tenth:

\[
b \approx 16.1
\]

So, the missing side of the triangle is approximately **16.1**.