SOLUTION: If the hypotenuse of a right triangle is 1 m more than the longer leg, and the shorter leg is 7 m, find the length of the longer leg.

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Question 725962: If the hypotenuse of a right triangle is 1 m more than the longer leg, and the shorter leg is 7 m, find the length of the longer leg.
Found 2 solutions by mananth, fcabanski:
Answer by mananth(16946) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
longer leg x
hypotenuse x+1
shorter leg 7
x^2+7^2=(x+1)^2
x^2+49=x^2+2x+1
2x=48
x=24
hypotenuse = 25
7,24,25

Answer by fcabanski(1391) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The short leg is 7, the long leg is x and the hypotenuse is x+1


Use the Pythagorean theorem - the square of the length of the hypotenuse = the sum of the squares of the legs: a%5E2+%2B+b%5E2+=+c%5E2 where c is the hypotenuse.


7%5E2+%2B+x%5E2+=+%28x%2B1%29%5E2 ---> 49+%2B+x%5E2+=+x%5E2+%2B+2x+%2B+1---> 48 = 2x ---> x = 24.


The longer leg is 24 m.

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