document.write( "Question 333647: A lot has the shape of a right triangle with one leg 2m longer than the other. The hypotenuse is 2m less than twice the length of the shorter leg. Finf the length of the shorter leg. I have tried to solve this but i can't. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #239071 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
We basically have this triangle set up:\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Remember, the Pythagorean Theorem is \"a%5E2%2Bb%5E2=c%5E2\" where \"a\" and \"b\" are the legs of a triangle and \"c\" is the hypotenuse.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Since the legs are \"x\" and \"x%2B2\" this means that \"a=x\" and \"b=x%2B2\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Also, since the hypotenuse is \"2x-2\", this means that \"c=2x-2\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"a%5E2%2Bb%5E2=c%5E2\" Start with the Pythagorean theorem.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x%5E2%2B%28x%2B2%29%5E2=%282x-2%29%5E2\" Plug in \"a=x\", \"b=x%2B2\", and \"c=2x-2\" \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x%5E2%2Bx%5E2%2B4x%2B4=4x%5E2-8x%2B4\" FOIL\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x%5E2%2Bx%5E2%2B4x%2B4-4x%5E2%2B8x-4=0\" Get every term to the left side.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"-2x%5E2%2B12x%2B0=0\" Combine like terms.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Notice that the quadratic \"-2x%5E2%2B12x%2B0\" is in the form of \"Ax%5E2%2BBx%2BC\" where \"A=-2\", \"B=12\", and \"C=0\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Let's use the quadratic formula to solve for \"x\":\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28-B+%2B-+sqrt%28+B%5E2-4AC+%29%29%2F%282A%29\" Start with the quadratic formula\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28-%2812%29+%2B-+sqrt%28+%2812%29%5E2-4%28-2%29%280%29+%29%29%2F%282%28-2%29%29\" Plug in \"A=-2\", \"B=12\", and \"C=0\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28-12+%2B-+sqrt%28+144-4%28-2%29%280%29+%29%29%2F%282%28-2%29%29\" Square \"12\" to get \"144\". \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28-12+%2B-+sqrt%28+144-0+%29%29%2F%282%28-2%29%29\" Multiply \"4%28-2%29%280%29\" to get \"0\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28-12+%2B-+sqrt%28+144+%29%29%2F%282%28-2%29%29\" Subtract \"0\" from \"144\" to get \"144\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28-12+%2B-+sqrt%28+144+%29%29%2F%28-4%29\" Multiply \"2\" and \"-2\" to get \"-4\". \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28-12+%2B-+12%29%2F%28-4%29\" Take the square root of \"144\" to get \"12\". \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%28-12+%2B+12%29%2F%28-4%29\" or \"x+=+%28-12+-+12%29%2F%28-4%29\" Break up the expression. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+%280%29%2F%28-4%29\" or \"x+=++%28-24%29%2F%28-4%29\" Combine like terms. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+0\" or \"x+=+6\" Simplify. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the possible solutions are \"x+=+0\" or \"x+=+6\" \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Since a length of 0 doesn't make much sense, the only solution is \"x+=+6\" \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the legs of the triangle are 6 m and 8 m (add 2) while the hypotenuse is 10 m (double 6 and subtract 2)
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