If the hypotenuse of a triangle is 10, and one side length is 6, what is the other side length?

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1 answer

To find the other side length of a right triangle when you know the hypotenuse and one side length, you can use the Pythagorean theorem, which states:

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

where:

  • \( c \) is the hypotenuse,
  • \( a \) and \( b \) are the other two sides.

In this case, we have:

  • \( c = 10 \)
  • \( a = 6 \) (the side length you know)

Now, substitute the known values into the equation:

\[ 6^2 + b^2 = 10^2 \] \[ 36 + b^2 = 100 \]

Now, isolate \( b^2 \):

\[ b^2 = 100 - 36 \] \[ b^2 = 64 \]

Now, take the square root of both sides:

\[ b = \sqrt{64} \] \[ b = 8 \]

So, the other side length is 8.