How do you find the missing side of a right triangle given a = ?, b = 9, c = 16?

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Answer 1 · 2016-05-27T17:10:44

Apply the pythagorean theorem to get

#a^2+b^2=c^2#

#a^2+9^2=16^2#

#a^2=256-81=175#

#a=+-sqrt175#

Hence #a>0# then #a=5sqrt7~~13.23#

Also a could be the hypotenuse in the triangle hence

#a^2=b^2+c^2#

#a^2=9^2+16^2#

#a~~18.36#