If the length of one leg of a right triangle is 3 and the hypotenuse is √(34), what is the length of the other leg?

Question

asked Oct 6, 2020 196k views

2 Answers

Juan Estevez · Answer 1 · 2020-10-09T07:38:06+0000

Answer:

Explanation:

Use the Pythagorean theorem:

leg^2+leg^2=hypotenuse^2

We have

$leg=3,\ hypotenuse=√(34)$

Let's mark the other leg as x.

Substitute:

3^2+x^2=(√(34))^2 use (√a)² = a

9+x^2=34 subtract 9 from both sides

$x^2=25\to x=√(25)\\\\x=5$

Peter Krautzberger · Answer 2 · 2020-10-13T03:24:45+0000

$\huge{\boxed{5}}$

The Pythagorean theorum states that when
and
are sides and
is the hypotenuse,
a^2 + b^2 = c^2

So, let's plug in the values.
3^2 + b^2 = (√(34))^2

Simplify. The square of a square root is the number inside the square root.
9 + b^2 = 34

Subtract 9 from both sides.
b^2 = 25

Get the square root of both sides.
√(b^2) = √(25)

$b=\boxed{5}$