How do you find the missing sides of a right triangle given a = ____, b = 24, c = 30?

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Answer 1 · 2015-05-19T05:17:08

Side $a = 18$ $a=18$ .

We will use the Pythagorean theorem: $a^{2} + b^{2} = c^{2}$ $a^2+b^2=c^2$ .

$a = ?$ $a=?$

$b = 24; b^{2} = 24^{2} = 576$ $b=24; b^2=24^2=576$

$c = 30; c^{2} = 30^{2} = 900$ $c=30; c^2=30^2=900$

Solve $a^{2} + b^{2} = c^{2}$ $a^2+b^2=c^2$ for $a^{2}$ $a^2$ .

$c^{2} - b^{2} = a^{2}$ $c^2-b^2=a^2$

$900 - 576 = 324$ $900-576=324$

$a^{2} = 324$ $a^2=324$

Take the square root of $324$ $324$ to find side $a$ $a$ .

$a = \sqrt{a^{2}} = \sqrt{324} = 18$ $a=sqrt(a^2)=sqrt 324=18$

Answer 2 · 2015-05-21T04:49:04

Another simple way.
Ratio of the sides of right triangle: 3 : 4: 5
Ratio --> 18: 24: 30.
Then a = 18.