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Given a right triangle with legs a, b and hypotenuse c, solve for b if a= 72 and c= 75

a 21

b 3

c 441

d 104

1 Answer

2 votes

Answer:

The answer is a. 21.

Explanation:

We solve this question by using Pythagoras theorem to relate the sides of a right angled triangle.

Here,

Hypotenuse of the given triangle(c)=75

Two sides of right angled triangle are:

a=72

b=?

Then,

for a given right angled triangle abc,

Using Pythagoras theorem,


c=\sqrt{a^(2) +b^(2) }

Squaring on both sides,


c^(2) =a^(2)+b^(2)

or,
75^(2)=72^(2)+b^(2)

or,
b^(2)=75^(2)-72^(2)

or,
b^(2)=5625- 5184

or,
b^(2) =441


b=21

So, the value of b is obtained to 21 by the use of Pythagoras theorem.

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