Question

A right triangle has legs measuring 16 in. and 28 in. What is the length of the hypotenuse? Round your answer to the nearest tenth (one decimal).

- a. 32.0 in.
- b. 31.4 in.
- c. 33.7 in.
- d. 29.7 in.

Answer 1

Using the Pythagorean theorem, we calculated the hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs of 16 in. and 28 in. to be approximately 32.2 inches after rounding to the nearest tenth, which is not listed in the provided options.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the length of the hypotenuse in a right triangle with legs measuring 16 inches and 28 inches, we use the Pythagorean theorem, which states that a² + b² = c², where a and b are the lengths of the legs and c is the length of the hypotenuse. Plugging in the given values, we get:

16² + 28² = c²

256 + 784 = c²

1040 = c²

To solve for c, we take the square root of 1040:

c = √1040 ≈ 32.2 inches

After rounding to the nearest tenth, we find that the hypotenuse is approximately 32.2 inches, so the correct answer is not listed in the options provided.