SOLUTION: Please help me to solve this problem. Thank you so much The hypotenuse of a right triangle is 4 meters more than the length of the longer leg. The shorter leg is 20 meters. Find t

Algebra ->  Rectangles -> SOLUTION: Please help me to solve this problem. Thank you so much The hypotenuse of a right triangle is 4 meters more than the length of the longer leg. The shorter leg is 20 meters. Find t      Log On


   

Question 737623: Please help me to solve this problem. Thank you so much
The hypotenuse of a right triangle is 4 meters more than the length of the longer leg. The shorter leg is 20 meters. Find the length of the longer leg.
Found 2 solutions by rothauserc, josmiceli:
Answer by rothauserc(4718) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
We are given
The hypotenuse of a right triangle is 4 meters more than the length of the longer leg. The shorter leg is 20 meters. Find the length of the longer leg.
We can use the right triangle formula
(x+4)^2 = x^2 + 20^2
x^2+8x+16 = x^2 + 400
8x = 394 and x = 49.25 meters is the length of the longer leg

Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Shorter leg = +a
Longer leg = +b+
Hypotenuse = +c+
given:
+c+=+b+%2B+4+
+a+=+20+
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+a%5E2+%2B+b%5E2+=+c%5E2+
+20%5E2+%2B+b%5E2+=+%28+b+%2B+4+%29%5E2+
+400+%2B+b%5E2+=+b%5E2+%2B+8b+%2B+16+
+400+=+8b+%2B+16+
+8b+=+384+
+b+=+48+
The longer leg is 48 m
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check:
+20%5E2+%2B+48%5E2+=+52%5E2+
+400+%2B+2304+=+2704+
+2704+=+2704+
OK