SOLUTION: If I have a triangle with one side equalling 8 feet, another side equalling 12 feet, and I have to find the third side (which is the longest), what do I do?

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Question 11744: If I have a triangle with one side equalling 8 feet, another side equalling 12 feet, and I have to find the third side (which is the longest), what do I do?
Answer by rapaljer(4551) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Is this a right triangle? Assuming that it is a RIGHT triangle, where c is the hypotenuse, and a and b are legs,
a%5E2+%2B+b%5E2+=+c%5E2, where in this case, the hypotenuse is the longest, which is the unknown, and a and b are 8 and 12 respectively.

8%5E2+%2B+12%5E2+=+c%5E2
+64+%2B+144+=+c%5E2
208+=+c%5E2
+c=+sqrt%28208%29%29 or c=+-sqrt%28208%29

c is the side of a triangle and therefore cannot be negative.
+c=+sqrt%28208%29 = sqrt%2816%29%2Asqrt%2813%29+=+4%2Asqrt%2813%29feet

You might want to calculate this and round to nearest hundredth:
sqrt%28208%29=14.42 feet

R^2 at SCC