Question - Solving for Missing Leg Length in Right Triangle
Solution:
The image shows a right triangle with one leg labeled as 75 cm and the hypotenuse labeled as 72 cm. We are asked to solve for the length of the missing leg, which I'll refer to as 'b'.There's an error in the labeling because the hypotenuse is the longest side of a right triangle and cannot be shorter than any other side. In a right triangle, the hypotenuse should always be the longest side, and both legs should be shorter than the hypotenuse. But we can proceed as if the values provided were for a leg and the hypotenuse, just reversing them in our application of the Pythagorean theorem.Assuming the provided measurements were mistakenly switched, with 72 cm being a leg instead of the hypotenuse, we can use the Pythagorean theorem to solve for 'b'. The Pythagorean theorem states that in a right-angled triangle, the sum of the squares of the two legs (a and b) is equal to the square of the hypotenuse (c), or a^2 + b^2 = c^2.Let's plug in the provided values (with 75 cm as the hypotenuse in our calculations due to the error):a^2 + b^2 = c^272^2 + b^2 = 75^25184 + b^2 = 5625Subtract 5184 from both sides to solve for b^2:b^2 = 5625 - 5184b^2 = 441Now, take the square root of both sides to find the value of 'b':b = √441b = 21So the missing leg 'b' of the right triangle is 21 centimeters, provided the values given were mixed up and we interpret the labeled 72 cm side as a leg and not the hypotenuse.
CamTutor
In regards to math, we are professionals.
Get In Touch
Email: camtutor.ai@gmail.com