SOLUTION: Solve. The shorter leg of a right triangle is 4 cm less than the longer leg. The hypotenuse is 6 cm long. Find the length of the longer leg.

Question 124662: Solve.
The shorter leg of a right triangle is 4 cm less than the longer leg. The hypotenuse is 6 cm long. Find the length of the longer leg.
Answer by checkley71(8403) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
(X-4)^2+X^2=6^2
X^2-8X+16+X^2=36
2X^2-8X+16-36=0
2X^2-8X-20=0
2(X^2-4X-10)=0
USING THE QUADRATIC EQUATION: WE GET:
X=(4+-SQRT[-4^2-4*1*-10])/2*1
X=(4+-SQRT16+40])/2
X=(4+-SQRT56])/2
X=(4+-7.48)/2
X=(4+7.48)/2
X=11.48/2
X=5.74 ANSWER FOR THE LONGEST LEG.

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