Question
Question
One of the legs of a right triangle measures 3 cm and the other leg measures 18 cm . Find the measure of the hypotenuse. If necessary, round to
the nearest tenth.
Answer Attempt 1 out of 3
Question |
One of the legs of a right triangle measures 3 cm and the other leg measures 18 cm . Find the measure of the hypotenuse. If necessary, round to |
the nearest tenth. |
Answer Attempt 1 out of 3 |
Ask by West Montgomery. in the United States
Mar 19,2025
Upstudy AI Solution
Tutor-Verified Answer
Answer
The hypotenuse is approximately 18.2 cm.
Solution
Step 1: Write Down the Pythagorean Theorem
For a right triangle with legs
and
and hypotenuse
, the theorem states:
Step 2: Substitute the Given Values
Given
cm and
cm, we have:
Step 3: Compute the Squares
So,
Step 4: Solve for
(the Hypotenuse)
Step 5: Approximate the Value
Calculating the square root,
Rounded to the nearest tenth,
Answered by UpStudy AI and reviewed by a Professional Tutor
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Mind Expander
To find the hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs measuring 3 cm and 18 cm, you can use the Pythagorean theorem, which states that
. Here,
cm and
cm. So,
.
Now, take the square root of 333 to find
:
, which is approximately 18.3 cm when rounded to the nearest tenth.
For a fun little fact, the Pythagorean theorem, named after the ancient Greek mathematician Pythagoras, has been used for thousands of years, dating back to at least the Babylonian civilization around 2000 BC! It forms the foundation of trigonometry and geometry, impacting various fields including architecture, engineering, and even art!
When applying the Pythagorean theorem, a common mistake is neglecting to correctly square the lengths of the legs. Remember, it’s essential to perform the squaring step first before summing them. Also, always double-check that you’re using a right triangle; otherwise, the theorem just won’t hold!