document.write( "Question 669007: 2. The length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle is 13 cm. The length of one leg is 5 cm. Find the length of the other leg. (1 point)
\n" ); document.write( "14 cm
\n" ); document.write( "144 cm
\n" ); document.write( "8 cm
\n" ); document.write( "12 cm
\n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #416010 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "We basically have this triangle set up:\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "To find the unknown length, we need to use the Pythagorean Theorem.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\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
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Since the legs are \"5\" and \"x\" this means that \"a=5\" and \"b=x\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Also, since the hypotenuse is \"13\", this means that \"c=13\".\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"a%5E2%2Bb%5E2=c%5E2\" Start with the Pythagorean theorem.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"5%5E2%2Bx%5E2=13%5E2\" Plug in \"a=5\", \"b=x\", \"c=13\" \r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"25%2Bx%5E2=13%5E2\" Square \"5\" to get \"25\".\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"25%2Bx%5E2=169\" Square \"13\" to get \"169\".\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x%5E2=169-25\" Subtract \"25\" from both sides.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x%5E2=144\" Combine like terms.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x=sqrt%28144%29\" Take the square root of both sides. Note: only the positive square root is considered (since a negative length doesn't make sense).\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x=12\" Simplify the square root.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "================================================================\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Answer:\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So the solution is \"x=12\".
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" );