Question

​△BCD ​ is a right triangle. The length of the hypotenuse is 18 centimeters. The length of one of the legs is 14 centimeters. What is the length of the other leg? Enter your answer, as a decimal rounded to the nearest tenth, in the box.

Answer 1

In a right triangle, this formula can be used:

a^2 + b^2 = c^2

when a and b are the legs and c is the hypotenuse.

Substitute the numbers from the problem into the formula.

14^2 + b^2 = 18^2

Simplify.

196 + b^2 = 324

b^2 = 128

b = square root of 128 = 11.3137...

When 11.313 is rounded to the nearest tenth, it is 11.3

The length of the other leg is 11.3 centimeters.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Answer: 11.3 centimeters

Explanation:

A right angle triangle has the hypotenuse, adjacent and the opposite. The hypotenuse is the longest side in a right angle triangle. The square of the hypotenuse equals the addition of the square of the adjacent and the square of the opposite.

Hypotenuse2 = Opposite2 + Adjacent 2

Since hypotenuse is 18cm and a leg is 14cm, the other leg will be:

Let the other leg be d

18^2 = 14^2 + d^2

324 = 196 + d^2

d^2 = 324 - 196

d^2 = 128

To get the value of the other leg, we find the square root of 128.

d^2 = 128

d =√128

d = 11.3

The other leg is 11.3 centimeters