SOLUTION: I'm trying to find the length of a leg on a right triangle. One leg is 52 and the hypotenuse is 63. how do you solve it by using the Pythagorean theorem?

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Question 740599: I'm trying to find the length of a leg on a right triangle. One leg is 52 and the hypotenuse is 63. how do you solve it by using the Pythagorean theorem?
Answer by ohtheirony(35) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The Pythagorean theorem is a%5E2%2Bb%5E2=c%5E2, where c is the hypotenuse and a and b are the two legs of the right triangle. We can subtract a%5E2 from both sides of the equation, so our new equation will become b%5E2=c%5E2-a%5E2. If we put in the hypotenuse (c) and one of our triangle legs (a), then we can solve our equation.

b%5E2=63%5E2-52%5E2
b%5E2=3969-2704
b%5E2=1265

To get rid of a square, we find the square root. So, to find b, take the square root of each side of the equation.

sqrt%28b%5E2%29=sqrt%281265%29
b=35.5668384876

The leg will be about 35.5 units.

For more on the Pythagorean theorem, click here:http://www.mathsisfun.com/pythagoras.html