If a=8 and b=6, how do you find c?

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Answer 1 · 2018-05-17T00:28:00

#c=10#

If #a,b,c# are the sides of a right triangle, and #c# is the hypotenuse (the longest side), then the Pythagorean theorem states that:

#color(white)(mmmmmmmmm)color(blue)(bar(ul|a^2+b^2=c^2|))#

So here, #a=8,b=6#.

#:.c^2=8^2+6^2#

#=64+36#

#=100#

#c=sqrt(100)#

#=+-10#

Since this is a length, we cannot take the negative side, as that'll make no sense! So, we only take the positive root, and the final answer is:

#c=10#