Question

You are building a dog house and need a supporting block of wood for the roof. Your

boss went on a errand and took your measuring tape. Using the Pythagorean theorem
determine the length needed. If necessary, express your answer in its simplest radical
form.

Answer 1

x = 8
`√(3)` in

Explanation:

Using Pythagoras' identity in the right triangle

x² + 22² = 26²

x² + 484 = 676 ( subtract 484 from both sides )

x² = 192 ( take square root of both sides )

x =
`√(192)` =
`√(64(3))` =
`√(64)` ×
`√(3)` = 8
`√(3)` in