To find the length of the hypotenuse in a right triangle with legs of equal lengths, you can use the Pythagorean theorem, which states:
\[ c^2 = a^2 + b^2 \]
where \(c\) is the length of the hypotenuse, and \(a\) and \(b\) are the lengths of the legs of the triangle.
In this case, both legs are 12 cm:
\[ c^2 = 12^2 + 12^2 \] \[ c^2 = 144 + 144 \] \[ c^2 = 288 \]
Now, take the square root of both sides to find \(c\):
\[ c = \sqrt{288} \] \[ c \approx 16.97 , \text{cm} \]
Rounding to the nearest hundredth, the hypotenuse is approximately 16.97 cm.
Thus, the correct response is 16.97.