SOLUTION: Another one I'm not sure of, if anyone can help? A company wants to lay a string of buoys across a lake; to find the length, they made the following measurements: It is a right

Algebra ->  Pythagorean-theorem -> SOLUTION: Another one I'm not sure of, if anyone can help? A company wants to lay a string of buoys across a lake; to find the length, they made the following measurements: It is a right      Log On


   

Question 324857: Another one I'm not sure of, if anyone can help?
A company wants to lay a string of buoys across a lake; to find the length, they made the following measurements:
It is a right triangle; one leg is 150ft and the hypotenuse is 180ft. Using the theorem I have 180-150=30 or 180^-150^=32,400 - 22,500 = 9900. I don't know if the solution is 9,900 ft or if there should be some conversions. 9900ft doesn't seem right to me if the other sides are only 180 and 150ft???
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You're on the right track (assuming that you're looking for the missing leg's length). You should have x=sqrt%28180%5E2-150%5E2%29=sqrt%2832400-22500%29=sqrt%289900%29=99.4987437

So the length of the missing leg is about 99.499 ft (rounded to the nearest thousandth)