SOLUTION: The lengths of two sides of a right triangle are 12 inches and 15 inches. What is the difference between the two possible lengths of the third side of the triangle? Round your answ

Algebra ->  Triangles -> SOLUTION: The lengths of two sides of a right triangle are 12 inches and 15 inches. What is the difference between the two possible lengths of the third side of the triangle? Round your answ      Log On


   

Question 1016242: The lengths of two sides of a right triangle are 12 inches and 15 inches. What is the difference between the two possible lengths of the third side of the triangle? Round your answer to the nearest tenth.
Answer by Boreal(15235) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
First, assume the two sides are legs, square both sides and add them,:
144+225=369
square root of 369 is the hypotenuse
suppose 15 is the hypotenuse (it can't be 12 since the hypotenuse is the longest)
Then 12^2+x^2=15^2
x^2=81
x=9, a 9-12-15 right triangle.
So the third side can be 9 or square root of 369 =19.2 to nearest tenth.
The difference is 19.2-9=10.2 inches