Question

One leg of a right triangle is 9 units long . The hypotenuse of this triangle is 15 units long. What is the length of the other leg?

Answer 1

12 units

Explanation:

Using Pythagorean theorem, `a^2 + b^2 = c^2`, insert 15 as c because it is the hypotenuse (c is always the hypotenuse or the longest side), and 9 as a.

`9^2 + b^2 = 15^2`
81 + `b^2` = 225
`b^2` = 144
`sqrt(b^2)` = `sqrt(144)`
b = 12 units

Answer 2

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

The Pythagorean Theorem states, for a right triangle:

`a^2 + b^2 = c^2` Where

• `a` and `b` are the legs of the right triangle
  -`c` is the hypotenuse of the right triangle

Substituting for `a` and `c` and solving for `b` gives:

`9^2 + b^2 = 15^2`

`81 + b^2 = 225`

`81 - color(red)(81) + b^2 = 225 - color(red)(81)`

`0 + b^2 = 144`

`b^2 = 144`

`sqrt(b^2) = sqrt(144)`

`b = 12`

The other leg is 12 units long