SOLUTION: The hypotenuse of a right triangle measures 20 mm and one leg measures 16 mm. Find the length of other leg?

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Question 918781: The hypotenuse of a right triangle measures 20 mm and one leg measures 16 mm. Find the length of other leg?
Answer by MathLover1(20849) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

the hypotenuse of a right triangle measures c=20mm and one leg measures a=16mm:
to find the length of other leg b use Pythagorean theorem
c%5E2=a%5E2%2Bb%5E2
b%5E2=c%5E2-a%5E2.....plug in c=20mm and a=16mm
b%5E2=%2820mm%29%5E2-%2816mm%29%5E2
b%5E2=400mm%5E2-256mm%5E2
b%5E2=144mm%5E2
b=sqrt%28144mm%5E2%29
b=12mm