Find the value of y.

A 30, 60, 90 degree right triangle is drawn. The 60 degree angle is labeled. The shortest leg adjacent to the 60 degree angle is labeled x. The longest leg opposite the 60 degree angle is labeled 5 times the square root of 3. The hypotenuse is labeled y.

5
10
15
5 times the square root of 3.

1 answer

In a 30-60-90 triangle, the relationship between the lengths of the sides is as follows:

  • The side opposite the 30-degree angle (the shortest leg) is \( x \).
  • The side opposite the 60-degree angle (the longer leg) is \( x\sqrt{3} \).
  • The hypotenuse (the longest side) is \( 2x \).

Given that the longest leg opposite the 60-degree angle is labeled \( 5\sqrt{3} \), we can set this equal to \( x\sqrt{3} \):

\[ x\sqrt{3} = 5\sqrt{3} \]

To find \( x \), divide both sides by \( \sqrt{3} \):

\[ x = 5 \]

Now, we can find the length of the hypotenuse \( y \). As noted, the hypotenuse in a 30-60-90 triangle is given by \( y = 2x \):

\[ y = 2(5) = 10 \]

Thus, the value of \( y \) is:

\[ \boxed{10} \]