Question

Mixed Practice

In the following exercises, solve.
358. The length of one leg of a right triangle is three more than the other leg. If the hypotenuse is 15, find the lengths of the two legs.

Answer 1

9 units and 12 units to nearest hundredth.

Explanation:

Let one leg be x units long then the other = x+3 units.

By Pythagoras:

x^2 + (x+3)^2 = 15^2 = 225

2x^2 + 6x + 9 = 225

2x^2 + 6x - 216 =0

x^2 + 3x - 108 = 0

(x - 9)(x + 12) = 0

x = 9

So the other 2 legs are 9 and 12.