SOLUTION: The longer leg of a right triangle is 6 less than 3 times the shorter leg. If the hypotenuse is 26cm., find the length of the two legs. Define the variables, set up your equation a

Question 377912: The longer leg of a right triangle is 6 less than 3 times the shorter leg. If the hypotenuse is 26cm., find the length of the two legs. Define the variables, set up your equation and solve.
Answer by mananth(16946) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
let shorter leg be x
longer leg = 3x-6
hypotenuse = 26 cm
...
Pythagoras theorem
x^2+(3x-6)^2= 26^2
x^2+9x^2-36x+36=26^2
10x^2-36x+36-676=0
10x^2-36x-640=0
10x^2-100x+64x-640=0
10x(x-10)+64(x-10)=0
(10x+64)(x-10)=0
c= 10 which is positive
one leg is 10 cm
the other leg = 3x-6 = 30-6 =24cm
..
m.ananth@hotmail.ca

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