Question

What are the values of a and b?

a) a=9/2, b=15/2
b) a=15/2, b=9/2
c) a=16/3, b=15/2
d) a=9/2, b=13/2

Answer 1

2 right triangles. Big and small.
Big. Small
Long leg 10. 8
Short leg b 6
Hypotenuse. (8+a) 10

10/b = 8/6
10*6 = 8*b
60 = 8b
60/8 = b
15/2 = b

10/(8+a) = 8/10
10*10 = 8(8+a)
100 = 64 + 8a
100 - 64 = 8a
36 = 8a
36/8 = a
9/2 = a

Answer : a) a=9/2, b=15/2