Question

A right triangle has sides of length 3, 4, and .

Find if it is the hypotenuse.
Find if it is one of the legs.

Answer 1

Let the third side be = x

Case 1. Find it if it's the hypotenuse.

Solution : Pythagoras Theorem = (H)²=(P)²+(B)²

= On substituting the values = (n)²= 4²+3²

= x²=16+9

= x²= 25

= x=√25

= x = 5

Case 2 . Find it if it's one of the legs

= If it is one of the legs , then the longest side of them will be the hypotenuse which is 4.

Legs = 3,n

Hypotenuse = 4

Pythagoras Theorem = (P)²+(B)²=(H)²

= 3²+x²=4²

= 9+x²= 16

= x²= 16-9

= x²= 7

= x= √7

= x = 2.64 (approx.)

Answer 2

5/hypotenuse, the square root of 7/ leg

Explanation:

3^2+4^2=25 or 5^2. you use a^2+b^2=c^2. it would be one of the hypotenuses. If the missing number is a leg, you would do 4^2=3^2+x^2. 16=9+x^2, 7=x^2, so you plug in the numbers differently.