Let's denote the length of the unknown leg as x.
According to the given information, one leg of the right triangle is 8 centimeters shorter than the hypotenuse, which is 42 centimeters. Therefore, we can set up the equation:
x = 42 - 8
Simplifying this equation, we have:
x = 34
The length of the unknown leg is approximately 34 centimeters.
