One of the legs of a right triangle measures 10 cm and the other leg measures 14 cm . Find the measure of the hypotenuse. If necessary, round to the nearest tenth.

To find the hypotenuse of a right triangle, you can use the Pythagorean theorem, which states that \( c^2 = a^2 + b^2 \), where \( c \) is the hypotenuse and \( a \) and \( b \) are the legs of the triangle. Here, you have legs measuring 10 cm and 14 cm. So, calculate: \( c^2 = 10^2 + 14^2 \) \( c^2 = 100 + 196 \) \( c^2 = 296 \) Now, take the square root to find \( c \): \( c = \sqrt{296} \approx 17.2 \) Therefore, the hypotenuse measures approximately 17.2 cm. No one wants to be caught in a triangle debate, so remember: check those calculations twice! A common mistake is mixing up the sum of squares; you always need to add before you take the square root. Double-checking can save you from embarrassing math blunders! As you delve deeper into the world of triangles, don’t forget to explore different types, like isosceles and equilateral, to broaden your geometric horizons! Reading up on geometric principles can be an adventure—pick up a classic like “Flatland” to see math through a new lens!