Answer:
C. 5
Explanation:
Keeping in mind that this is a right triangle, to find the length of side a, we can use the Pythagorean Theorem.
Remember, the Pythagorean Theorem is:
a² + b² = c²
where a and b are the legs of the right triangle and c is the hypotenuse.
As we can see in the image, a is one of the two legs of the right triangle. 13 is the hypotenuse and 12 is another leg. Plugging into the Pythagorean Theorem, we get:
a² + 12² = 13²
Now we solve for a.
a² + 144 = 169
Subtract 144 from both sides.
a² = 169 - 144
a² = 25
Take the square root of both sides.
a = √25
a = 5
So the length of side a would be 5.
The answer would be C. 5.
I hope you find my answer and explanation to be helpful. Happy studying.