SOLUTION: 29 inches is the shortest leg of a right triangle whose other leg and hypotenuse are consecutive whole numbers. What is the sum of the lengths of the other two sides?

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Question 273769: 29 inches is the shortest leg of a right triangle whose other leg and hypotenuse are consecutive whole numbers. What is the sum of the lengths of the other two sides?
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) About Me  (Show Source):
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29 inches is the shortest leg of a right triangle whose other leg and hypotenuse are consecutive whole numbers. What is the sum of the lengths of the other two sides?
:
Let x = one leg
then
(x+1) = hypotenuse
:
29^2 + x^2 = (x+1)^2
:
841 + x^2 = x^2 + 2x + 1
:
841 - 1 = x^2 - x^2 + 2x
:
840 = 2x
:
x = 420 is one leg
:
420 + 421 = 841 is the sum of the other two sides