Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the hypotenuse of a triangle with bases of 3 cm and 4 cm.

c=8cm

c=3cm

c=4cm

c=5cm

1 answer

To find the hypotenuse \( c \) of a right triangle using the Pythagorean Theorem, you can use the formula:

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

where \( a \) and \( b \) are the lengths of the two legs (bases) of the triangle.

Given:

  • \( a = 3 \) cm
  • \( b = 4 \) cm

Now, plug in the values:

\[ c = \sqrt{3^2 + 4^2} \] \[ c = \sqrt{9 + 16} \] \[ c = \sqrt{25} \] \[ c = 5 \text{ cm} \]

Thus, the hypotenuse \( c \) is \( 5 \) cm.