document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=446910>Question 446910</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I tried using the solver for this problem but I still can't get it right. Can someone help me? I have read about legs but I'm not sure which leg is which, so I'll have to descibe the problem as height, width, and diagonal. The problems says:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Use a Pythagorean theorem to find the value of x. The height of the triangle is x-10 and the diagonal is x+10, the width is x. When I used the solver it gave me the answer of 0, which was wrong.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #307857 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=ankor@dixie-net.com><B>ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=ankor@dixie-net.com><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=ankor@dixie-net.com><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=307857\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Use a Pythagorean theorem to find the value of x.<BR>\n" );
document.write( " The height of the triangle is x-10 and the diagonal is x+10, the width is x.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "You don't need a solver for something as simple as this:<BR>\n" );
document.write( " a^2 + b^2 = c^2 is all you need to know<BR>\n" );
document.write( "where a and b are the legs, which is which does not matter<BR>\n" );
document.write( "c = the hypotenuse (or diagonal) and is always the longest dimension<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "In your problem<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x^2 + (x-10)^2 = (x+10)^2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "FOIL<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x^2 + (x^2 - 20x + 100) = x^2 + 20x + 100<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Combine like terms on the left<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x^2 + x^2 - x^2 - 20x - 20x + 100 - 100 = 0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "which is<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x^2 - 40x = 0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Factor out x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x(x - 40) = 0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Two solutions<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = 0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "and<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = 40; the solution we want<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "see if this works<BR>\n" );
document.write( "a = 40<BR>\n" );
document.write( "b = (40-10) = 30<BR>\n" );
document.write( "c = (40+10) = 50<BR>\n" );
document.write( "40^2 + 30^2 = 50^2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "1600 + 900 = 2500; confirms our solution of x=40 </SPAN>\n" );
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