document.write( "Question 52277This question is from textbook
\n" ); document.write( ": The hypotenuse is 6.I am trying to figure out b. Please help me with this problem. \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #34840 by Earlsdon(6294) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Well, I wish you luck because you don't have enough information to answer the problem. What is the value of a?
\n" ); document.write( "As you probably know, in a right triangle: $\"c%5E2+=+a%5E2%2Bb%5E2\"$
\n" ); document.write( "You know the value of the hypotenuse, (c = 6) but unfortunately this is not enough to determine the value of a or b unless you also know that a = b.
\n" ); document.write( "If a = b, then you can solve this problem as follows:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"c%5E2+=+a%5E2+%2B+b%5E2\"$ But a=b, so:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"c%5E2+=+b%5E2%2Bb%5E2\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"c%5E2+=+2b%5E2\"$ and c = 6, so:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"36+=+2b%5E2\"$ Divide both sides by 2.
\n" ); document.write( " $\"18+=+b%5E2\"$ Take the square root of both sides.
\n" ); document.write( " $\"sqrt%2818%29+=+b\"$ or
\n" ); document.write( " $\"b+=+sqrt%2818%29\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"b+=+3sqrt%282%29\"$ and that's the best you can do! \n" ); document.write( "

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