document.write( "Question 407130: A piece of wire 60 inches long is bent into the form of a right triangle having a hypotenuse of 25 in. Find the other two sides of the triangle \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #287067 by robertb(5830) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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The sum of the 2 legs must be 60 - 25 = 35 inches.
\n" ); document.write( "Let x = measure of one leg
\n" ); document.write( "==> 35 - x = measure of other leg.
\n" ); document.write( "==> $\"x%5E2+%2B+%2835+-+x%29%5E2+=+25%5E2\"$
\n" ); document.write( "<==> $\"x%5E2+%2B+1225+-+70x+%2B+x%5E2+=+625\"$
\n" ); document.write( "<==> $\"2x%5E2+-70x+%2B+600+=+0\"$
\n" ); document.write( "<==> $\"x%5E2+-+35x+%2B+300+=+0\"$
\n" ); document.write( "<==> (x - 20)(x - 15) = 0
\n" ); document.write( "==> x = 20, 15
\n" ); document.write( "Incidentally these are also the only pair of values that will satisfy the conditions of the problem.
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