Final answer:
The length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs measuring 5 m and 4 m is found using the Pythagorean theorem, resulting in a hypotenuse of 6.4 meters.
Step-by-step explanation:
The lengths of the legs of a right triangle are 5 m and 4 m. To find the length of the hypotenuse, we use the Pythagorean theorem which states that in a right triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (c) is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the legs (a and b). Using the formula: c = √a² + b², we plug in the given leg lengths:
c = √5² + 4²
c = √25 + 16
c = √41
c = 6.4 meters
The length of the hypotenuse is 6.4 meters. Note that we use three significant figures to express the answer precisely, considering the legs' measurements as discrete numbers.