one leg of a right triangle measures 15 m and the hypotenuse measures 17 m. what is the measure of the other leg.

A. 22.67
B. 8
C. 32 m
D. 5.66 m

Question

one leg of a right triangle measures 15 m and the hypotenuse measures 17 m. what is the measure of the other leg.

A. 22.67
B. 8
C. 32 m
D. 5.66 m

anonymous · Answer

Do you know what the Pythagorean Theorem is?

anonymous · Answer

... if not, its is A^2 +B^2 = C^2..... so to figure this problem out, just plug the numbers in

anonymous · Answer

okay well my bad for posting this but i got the answer but can u make sure? i got 8

anonymous · Answer

well B

anonymous · Answer

okay, its fine. Let me check.

anonymous · Answer

x^2 + 15^2 = 17^2 
x = 8 

So, B is correct  i got this

anonymous · Answer

it is not B... theres something wrong with your math. try again

anonymous · Answer

whats 15^2 and 17^2?

anonymous · Answer

no wait is it A? 22.67 m?

anonymous · Answer

Yes.

anonymous · Answer

when you do 15^2 it is 225, 17^2 is 285... when you add those two it is 514. then you do the sqare root of 514 which is 22.67

anonymous · Answer

15^2 = 225 and 17^2 = 289

289-255 = 34

So the other leg is of length $$\sqrt{34}$$

anonymous · Answer

oh ok, thank you @Jamie_elizabeh :)

anonymous · Answer

yourwelcome:)

anonymous · Answer

@caters .. you have to add the two numbers not subtract. After you add the numbers, then find the square root of the numbers

anonymous · Answer

$$\sqrt{34} = 5.8309...$$

anonymous · Answer

no, add 15^2 and 17^2 then find the square root. You subtracted the two numbers. thats where you went wrong

anonymous · Answer

@caters

anonymous · Answer

He is wanting the length of the other leg. You add when you want the hypotenuse and subtract when you want the length of one of the legs so that is why I  subtracted 17^2 and 15^2

anonymous · Answer

$$A^2 + B^2 = C^2$$ so $$C^2 - A^2 = B^2$$ and $$C^2 - B^2 = A^2$$

anonymous · Answer

....its the same thing whether you want the other leg or the hypotenuse... or at least i though it was.. let me google it..

anonymous · Answer

http://www.mathopenref.com/pythagorastheorem.html you dont subtract:)

anonymous · Answer

By adding 17^2 and 15^2 you get the hypotenuse of a bigger triangle. He explicitly stated that the hypotenuse is 17 and one of the legs is 15 so you subtract 17^2 and 15^2 to get the other leg.

anonymous · Answer

okay. i get how that would work but ima stick with the original formula