document.write( "Question 1146004: The lengths of the legs of a right triangle are y and (3y-1)m and the hypotenuse is (3y+1)m, find y \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #767289 by Edwin McCravy(20065)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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document.write( "By the Pythagorean theorem,\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"y%5E2%2B%28%283y-1%29m%5E%22%22%29%5E2=%28%283y%2B1%29m%5E%22%22%29%5E2\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"y%5E2=%283y%2B1%29%5E2m%5E2-%283y-1%29%5E2m%5E2\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "Factor out m² on the right side:\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"y%5E2=%28%283y%2B1%29%5E2-%283y-1%29%5E2%29m%5E2\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "The factor in parentheses on the right side factors \r\n" );
document.write( "as the difference of squares:\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"y%5E2=%28%283y%2B1%29-%283y-1%29%5E%22%22%29%28%283y%2B1%29%2B%283y-1%29%5E%22%22%29m%5E2%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"y%5E2=%283y%2B1-3y%2B1%5E%22%22%29%283y%2B1%2B3y-1%5E%22%22%29m%5E2%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"y%5E2=%282%5E%22%22%29%286y%5E%22%22%29m%5E2%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"y%5E2=12ym%5E2%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "All sides of a triangle must be positive so y > 0,\r\n" );
document.write( "and we may divide both sides by y\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"y=12m%5E2%29\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "Edwin
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