document.write( "Question 1138304: the hypotenuse of a right triangle is 13 cm long. The shorter leg is 7cm
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Algebra.Com's Answer #756132 by ikleyn(52790) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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document.write( "Let x be the longer leg.\r\n" );
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document.write( "Then the shorter leg is (x-7) centimeters long.\r\n" );
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document.write( "According to the Pythagorean theorem,\r\n" );
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document.write( "     +  = ,   or\r\n" );
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document.write( "     = 169\r\n" );
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document.write( "     = 0\r\n" );
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document.write( "     = 0\r\n" );
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document.write( "Factor the quadratic polynomial\r\n" );
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document.write( "    (x-12)*(x+5) = 0.\r\n" );
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document.write( "Its roots are x= 12 and  x= -5,  but only positive solution is meaningful.\r\n" );
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document.write( "ANSWER.  The longer leg is 12 cm;  the shorter leg is  12-7 = 5 cm.\r\n" );
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document.write( "CHECK.    +  = 144 + 25 = 169 = .    ! Correct !\r\n" );
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "(5,12,13) is the classic Pythagorean right angled triangle.\r
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