SOLUTION: find the length of x its a triangle right side is 51 ft left side is x and bottom is 45 ft

Question 87841: find the length of x
its a triangle
right side is 51 ft left side is x and bottom is 45 ft
Found 2 solutions by jim_thompson5910, Earlsdon:
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Since we have a triangle with legs of 51 , 45 and a hypotenuse of x(our unknown side), we can use Pythagoreans theorem to find the unknown side.
Pythagoreans theorem

Plug in a=51, b=45, and c=x and lets solve for x
Square each individual term

Combine like terms

Take the square root of both sides

Simplify

So our answer is

which approximates to

Answer by Earlsdon(6294) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
With the limited information you have supplied, x could be any number with the following constraints:

Do you see why this is so?
Imagine two sticks, one 51 ft. long and the other 45 ft. long. Imagine that these sticks are joined at one end by a hinge that allows you to open and close them like a door.
Well, let's say that you can join the two unconnected ends together with another stick whose length is x ft to form a triangle.
You can easily see that the length of x depends entirely upon how wide open the two sticks are, doesn't it?
So, to find the length of x, you need to provide an angle.
Is the triangle a right-triangle?
If it is, then you can use the Pythagorean Theorem to figure out the length of x.
Let's assume that you forgot to mention that it is a right triangle. We can find the length of x using the Pythagorean Theorem:
But to do this, we have to make another assumption about which side is the hypotenuse...is it 51 ft. or is it x ft. (It can't be 45 ft because the hypotenuse of a right triangle is always the longest side).
Let's assume that x is the hypotenuse, then:

feet.
Now let's assume that 51 ft is the length of the hypotenuse, then:

feet.
RELATED QUESTIONS
The perimeter of a triangle is 153 ft. Find the length on each side: (4x) ft on left... (answered by stanbon)
Find the length of x. Express your answer in simplified radical form. Side 1: 51 ft.... (answered by checkley75)
I am stuck on this problems and need some help I am not good at this Find the length... (answered by stanbon)
trapiziod i think? top side is 24.5 ft, right side is 20 ft 2 inches, bottom side is 17... (answered by funmath)
Find the lenght of x in simplified radical form: the triangle has three sides, 51 ft., 45 (answered by fractalier)
The hypotenuse of a right triangle is 70 ft and one leg is 25 ft. Find the length of the... (answered by checkley77)
a right triangle has a hypotenuse of length 51 and one side of length of 45,what is the... (answered by ikleyn)
a right triangle has a hypotenuse of length 51 and one side length of 45, what is the... (answered by addingup)