Question

The shorter leg of a right triangle is 18 meters. The hypotenuse is 6 meters longer than the longer leg. Find the length of the longer leg.

Answer 1

24 meters

Explanation:

Use the pythagorean theorem

18² + x² = (x + 6)²

Expand

324 + x² = x² + 12x + 36

Subtract x² from both sides

324 = 12x + 36

Subtract 36 from both sides

288 = 12x

Divide both sides by 12

24 = x

24 meters