Answer:
That's great to hear that Pete, the skateboarding penguin, is practicing on a ramp!
Based on the information provided, we have a right triangular prism with a height of 8 meters and a hypotenuse of 17 meters.
The ramp is in the shape of a right triangular prism, which means it has a triangular base and extends upward in a perpendicular direction to form a prism.
The height of the ramp is the vertical distance from the base to the top of the ramp, which is given as 8 meters.
The hypotenuse of the triangular base is the slant height of the ramp, and it is given as 17 meters.
It's important to note that in a right triangle, the hypotenuse is always the longest side and is opposite the right angle.
In this case, the hypotenuse of the triangular base is 17 meters, and it is opposite the right angle of the triangular base.
Knowing the height and hypotenuse of the ramp, we can use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the base of the triangular ramp. The Pythagorean Theorem states that in a right triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (c) is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides (a and b).
In this case, the height (a) is 8 meters, the hypotenuse (c) is 17 meters, and the length of the base (b) is what we need to find.
We can use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve for
b:a^2 + b^2 = c^2
8^2 + b^2 = 17^2
64 + b^2 = 289
b^2 = 289 - 64
b^2 = 225
b = sqrt(225)
b = 15
So, the length of the base of the triangular ramp is 15 meters.
Explanation: