Question

Hello math guru's. I need help understanding a question from my homework. I have the answer but need to see how to work it out.

Vista county is setting aside a large parcel of land to preserve it as open space. The county has hired Megan’s surveying firm to survey the parcel, which is in the shape of a right triangle. The longer leg of the triangle measures 5 miles less than the square of the shorter leg, and the hypotenuse of the triangle measures 13 miles less than twice the square of the shorter leg. The length of each boundary is a whole number. Find the length of each boundary.

Answer 1

So far I have it set it up like this (x^2-5) (2x-13). Is this correct?

Answer 2

I also get the length of the longer leg to be x^2-5, but I get the hypotenuse to be 2x^2-13. Make sense?

Answer 3

I typed it out wrong on the set up. My question is where do you start? How do you find the distance of the short leg?

Answer 4

Do you know the Pythagorean Theorem?

Answer 5

Yes. Would you set it up like (x)^2+(x^2-5)^2=(2x^2-13)^2

Answer 6

Looks right to me. :)

Answer 7

I understand that right triangles are usually 3,4,5

Answer 8

Solve for x.

Answer 9

That is pretty common, but not always.

Answer 10

I'll work on that. Thanks for your help so far!

Answer 11

Sure thing!

Answer 12

@JoannaBlackwelder Thank you so much for all the help! I figured it out. The answer is 3,4,5. I can't believe I forgot Pythagorean Theorem.

Answer 13

Awesome! No worries. :)