On a recent test, Shawna was given the following problem:

Question

Shawna's work is shown below:

Step 1: a2+72=252

Step 2: a2+14=50

Step 3: a2=36

a=6 m

In which step did Shawna make an error?

(1 point)
Responses

Step 3. She incorrectly isolated a2
Step 3. She incorrectly isolated A squared

Step 1. She incorrectly applied the Pythagorean theorem.
Step 1. She incorrectly applied the Pythagorean theorem.

Step 4. She incorrectly solved for a
Step 4. She incorrectly solved for A

Step 2. She incorrectly squared the numbers.

Answer 1

Shawna made an error in Step 1. She incorrectly applied the Pythagorean theorem.

In the first step, the equation \( a^2 + 72 = 252 \) suggests she was trying to relate the values correctly, but the numbers appear to be misused in the context of the Pythagorean theorem, which states that \( a^2 + b^2 = c^2 \). The components (like the values added to \( a^2 \)) in her initial setup are not correctly aligned with how you would use the theorem. Thus, her initial values and resulting equations are not correct.