Question

The 3 sides of a right triangle are x, x+5, and 2x-5 (hypotenuse). Find x. Please help!

Answer 1

@Agl202

Answer 2

have you ever heard of the term a^2+b^2=c^2?

Answer 3

yes, pythagorean therom

Answer 4

x^2 + (x+5)^2=(2x-5)^2

Answer 5

Have you tried plugging it into that and solving for x? And yes it will take a lot of work

Answer 6

now expand all the squares

Answer 7

What do you mean by expanding the squares?

Answer 8

ok so when you have the equation (x+5)^2 its the same as (x+5)(x+5) and when you multiply it out using FOIL you get an equation and you combine like terms

Answer 9

so for x would it still be x^2 after foiling it? x+5 would be x^2 +10x+25

Answer 10

Correct! no try the other side :)

Answer 11

now not no

Answer 12

k so that would be um... 4x-20x+25

Answer 13

Is that correct?

Answer 14

Correct! now combine your like terms on the left side then subtract your left side from both sides to get one equation and to get your x on one side

Answer 15

x^4-6x?

Answer 16

is that correct?

Answer 17

Now I just need to find x

Answer 18

yep :) now can you factor anything out of that?

Answer 19

just x i think

Answer 20

hold on hun how did you get a 4th power on the x?

Answer 21

x^2 times x^2

Answer 22

when you combined on the left side all you do is add coefficients whenever you multiply then you add the powers together

Answer 23

nevermind i made a mistake lol no ones perfect :P

Answer 24

so what would it be instead of x^4?

Answer 25

but yes your right you can only factor an x out so that leaves you with x(x^3-6)

Answer 26

ok so how do i figure out what x is from that?
I need to put in an exact length in feet, it cannot be an equation. @goatsgirl17

Answer 27

well = the on in the equation to zero then add 6 to both sides and find the cubed route of that and the other x equals 0

Answer 28

im confused, how do i do that?

Answer 29

@goatsgirl17

Answer 30

x^3=6 therefore type into the calculator 2nd ^ then type in 3 before the bar and put a 6 under the bar

Answer 31

bar?

Answer 32

the square root im sorry i gtg

Answer 33

ok thanks