Right Traingles

[joannamartinez]

I need help please with this problem. I need to find the missing length for this right triangle. The bottom leg is missing, the side leg = 7 and the hypotruse =25. Please advise. Thank you very much!

 

[masters]

I need help please with this problem. I need to find the missing length for this right triangle. The bottom leg is missing, the side leg = 7 and the hypotruse =25. Please advise. Thank you very much!

Hi joannamartinez,

Have you heard of the Pythagorean Theorem? The square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the two legs.

\(\displaystyle a^2+b^2=c^2\)

\(\displaystyle a^2+7^2=25^2\)

Solve for a.

 

[joannamartinez]

I have heard of it and I got as far as you have shown and I am not sure how to figure a. Please advise. Thank you.

 

[joannamartinez]

I am going to try this so forgive if it is wrong. Is the answer 288 squared? Please advise. Thank you.

 

[joannamartinez]

No that is wrong. Let me try again. It is 24 squared. Is that correct? Please advise. Thank you.

 

[mmm4444bot]

?

It is 24 squared. Is that correct? No. The other leg is 24 units long.

a^2 + 7^2 = 25^2

a^2 + 49 = 625

a^2 + 49 - 49 = 625 - 49

a^2 = 576

sqrt(a^2) = sqrt(576)

|a| = 24

a = ±24

Of course, we throw away the negative solution because all distances are positive.

?

 

[joannamartinez]

I first had 25, then 24 and they both looked wrong. Then I had 24 squared. I really apprecaite your help and patience on this. Thank you so very much!