Question

The top of a kitchen table measures 160cm by 90cm. A beetle walks diagonally across the table from one corner to the other. Calculate how far the beetle walks.

Answer 1

Answer: To calculate the distance the beetle walks diagonally across the table, we can use the Pythagorean theorem, which states that in a right triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.

In this case, the two sides of the right triangle formed by the table are 160 cm and 90 cm. Let's call the hypotenuse (the distance the beetle walks) "d."

So, applying the Pythagorean theorem, we have:

d^2 = 160^2 + 90^2

Simplifying:

d^2 = 25600 + 8100

d^2 = 33700

Taking the square root of both sides:

d ≈ √33700

d ≈ 183.54 cm

Therefore, the beetle walks approximately 183.54 cm diagonally across the kitchen table.