Use the image to answer the question.

A line, x, divides a right triangle and connects the vertex opposite the hypotenuse to the hypotenuse. The line x forms a second right angle, marked by a small square, where it meets the hypotenuse, and it divides the hypotenuse into 4 and 13.

Use the geometric mean to solve for the value of x. Round your answer to the nearest tenth.

(1 point)
x=

1 answer

To solve for the value of \( x \) using the geometric mean in the context of your right triangle, we can use the relationship established by the geometric mean theorem.

In a right triangle, if a line segment from the right angle to the hypotenuse divides it into segments of lengths \( a \) and \( b \), the length of the line segment (in this case \( x \)) is given by the geometric mean of the two segments:

\[ x = \sqrt{a \cdot b} \]

From your description, the hypotenuse is divided into two segments of lengths \( 4 \) and \( 13 \).

We need to calculate \( x \):

\[ x = \sqrt{4 \cdot 13} \]

First, multiply the two segments:

\[ 4 \cdot 13 = 52 \]

Now calculate the square root:

\[ x = \sqrt{52} \]

To round it to the nearest tenth, we first simplify \( \sqrt{52} \):

\[ \sqrt{52} = \sqrt{4 \cdot 13} = 2\sqrt{13} \]

Now we compute \( \sqrt{13} \) which is approximately \( 3.605551275 \):

\[ 2\sqrt{13} \approx 2 \cdot 3.605551275 \approx 7.21110255 \]

Rounded to the nearest tenth, we get:

\[ x \approx 7.2 \]

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

\[ \boxed{7.2} \]