SOLUTION: How do you find the missing length if a triangle using the Pythagorean Theorem? I know the whole equation a2+b2=c2 but I have no idea how to apply it correctly. Please help me ASA

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Question 480781: How do you find the missing length if a triangle using the Pythagorean Theorem? I know the whole equation a2+b2=c2 but I have no idea how to apply it correctly. Please help me ASAP I need the answer well before August 29th (when school starts) Thank You!
Answer by Theo(13342) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
a right triangle has 2 legs and a hypotenuse.
the hypotenuse is opposite the 90 degree angle.
the 2 legs are opposite the other angles of the triangle.
if you know 2 of the dimensions then you simply use the formula to solve for the remaining dimension.
assume one of the legs is equal to a and the other leg is equal to b and the hypotenuse is equal to c.
then the formula is:
c^2 = a^2 + b^2
suppose you know the value of a and b
you substitute for a and b in the equation and solve for c.
assume a = 6 and b = 8
the formula becomes:
c^2 = 6^2 + 8^2 = 36 + 64 = 100
now you take the square root of both sides of the equation to get:
c = sqrt(100) = 10
now suppose you knew that c was equal to 10 and a was equal to 6.
your equation of:
c^2 = a^2 + b^2 becomes:
10^2 = 6^2 + b^2 which becomes:
100 = 36 + b^2
you subtract 36 from both sides of the equaton to get:
100 - 36 = b^2
you simplify to get:
64 = b^2
you take the square root of both sides of the equation to get:
8 = b