SOLUTION: A piece of wire 12 ft long is bent to the shape of a right angled triangle.If one side of the triangle is 3ft .What is the length of the longest side?

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Question 891511: A piece of wire 12 ft long is bent to the shape of a right angled triangle.If one side of the triangle is 3ft .What is the length of the longest side?
Answer by Fombitz(32388) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
B - other side
C - hypotenuse
.
.
Use the Pythagorean theorem,
3%5E2%2BB%5E2=C%5E2
9%2BB%5E2=C%5E2
.
.
.
Perimeter,
3%2BB%2BC=12
B%2BC=9
B=9-C
.
.
Substitute,
9%2B%289-C%29%5E2=C%5E2
9%2B81-18C%2BC%5E2=C%5E2
18C=90
C=5
Then,
B=9-5
B=4
The longest side is 5