Question

If a right triangle has a leg of 8 inches and the hypotenuse is 12 inches, how long is the other leg? Simlify to the nearest 10th if necessary.

Answer 1

Use the Pythagorean theorem: if the legs are 8 and x and the hypotenuse is 12,
x^2 + 8^2 = 12^2 ⇒ x^2 = 144 − 64 = 80 ⇒ x = √80 = 4√5 ≈ 8.9 inches.