Question

A flat screen television measures diagonally 40 inches and 24 inches in length. What is the width of the television?

Answer 1

Explanation:

use the pythagorean theorem c^2 = a^2 + b^2 diagonal is the hypotenuse...

40^2 = 24^2 + b^2

b^2 = 40^2 - 24^2

b =

`b = \sqrt{40 {}^(2) - 24 {}^(2) }`

Answer 2

The width of the Television is 32 inches.

Explanation:

It seems as if the hypotenuse of the triangle is 40 inches, and one of the side lengths of it is 24 inches.

a2+b2=c2

So if we square 40 we get 1600, which is c2

If we square 24, we get 576, which is a2.

Then you solve, 576+b2=1600

you get b2=1600

Then you get the square root of both sides which in turn gives you the answer

b=32, which is the width of the television.