How do you do Pythagorean Theorem questions that involve x * the square root of y?

Question

alexalas · Answer

Can you give me an example of this problem

anonymous · Answer

@alexalas An example would be for the triangle a = 3 and b = 8 (this is an example) and some how it has to fit the equation that I gave.

anonymous · Answer

My actual problem resides in the confines of a = 5 and b = 4

alexalas · Answer

Do you have a picture of the problem. I work better with pictures.

anonymous · Answer

Let me screen shot and send it right quick

anonymous · Answer

@alexalas here

alexalas · Answer

Okay here is what you do. a^2+b^2=c^2 what is a^2 + b^2

anonymous · Answer

c = 41

anonymous · Answer

The square root of 41 = 6.4...

alexalas · Answer

41 does not square root into a whole number

alexalas · Answer

take $$\sqrt{125}$$ as an example you factor it into $$\sqrt{25*5}$$ and then square root 25 and it will look like $$5\sqrt{5}$$
but 41 is a prime number so you can't factor out any numbers. so the answer would just be(you aswer)

alexalas · Answer

you there?

anonymous · Answer

It is just REALLY confusing and hard to understand.