document.write( "Question 1096436: A field in the shape of a right triangle has an area of
\n" ); document.write( "30 square meters. If one leg of the right triangle that forms the field is
\n" ); document.write( "4 meters longer than the other leg, what is the length of the longer leg? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #710934 by KMST(5328) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The area of a right triangle can be calculated as
\n" ); document.write( " $\"area=leg%5B1%5D%2Aleg%5B2%5D%2F2\"$ ,
\n" ); document.write( "Because if we call one leg the base of the triangle,
\n" ); document.write( "the other leg is the altitude.
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "In this case, leg lengths in meters are $\"x\"$ and $\"x%2B4\"$ ,
\n" ); document.write( "so $\"x%28x%2B4%29%2F2=30\"$ ,
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x%28x%2B4%29=30%2A2\"$ ,
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x%5E2%2B4x=60\"$ ,
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x%5E2%2B4x-60=0\"$ , and
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28x-6%29%2A%28x%2B10%29=0\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( "The solution is $\"highlight%28x=6%29\"$ from $\"x-6=0\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( "The other solution to the equation, $\"x=-10\"$ from $\"x%2B10=0\"$
\n" ); document.write( "is not a solution to the problem,
\n" ); document.write( "because $\"x\"$ is the length of a triangle side in meters,
\n" ); document.write( "and it must be a positive number.
\n" ); document.write( "So, the length of the shorter leg is $\"6meters\"$ ,
\n" ); document.write( "and the length of the longer leg is $\"6meters%2B4+meters=highlight%2810meters%29\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "

\n" );