SOLUTION: A lot is in the shape of a right triangle. The shorter leg measures 60 meters. The hypotenuse is 20 meters longer than the length of the longer leg. How long is the longer leg?

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Question 300265: A lot is in the shape of a right triangle. The shorter leg measures 60 meters. The hypotenuse is 20 meters longer than the length of the longer leg. How long is the longer leg?

Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) (Show Source):
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A lot is in the shape of a right triangle.
The shorter leg measures 60 meters.
The hypotenuse is 20 meters longer than the length of the longer leg.
How long is the longer leg?
:
Assume you are familiar with a^2 + b^2 = c^2
in this problem
a = the longer leg
b = 60
c = (a+20)
:
a^2 + 60^2 = (a+20)^2
FOIL
a^2 + 3600 = a^2 + 40a + 400
:
a^2 - a^2 - 40a = 400 - 3600
:
-40a = -3200
a =
a = +80 is the longer leg
and
20 + 80 = 100 is the hypotenuse
:
:
Check our solutions
80^2 + 60^2 = 100^2
6400 + 3600 = 10000