Suppose that one leg of a right triangle is 5 feet shorter than the other leg. The hypotenuse is 5 feet longer than the longer leg. Find the lengths of all three sides of the right triangle.
A) 17 feet, 22 feet, 27 feet
B) 15 feet, 20 feet, 25 feet
C) 13 feet, 21 feet, 26 feet
D) 13 feet, 22 feet, 25 feet

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using the Pythagorean theorem, let x be the length of the shorter leg. Then the longer leg is x + 5, and the hypotenuse is x + 10. The equation is x^2 + (x + 5)^2 = (x + 10)^2. Solving this, x = 15, so the sides are 15 feet, 20 feet, and 25 feet.

Suppose That One Leg of a Right Triangle Is 5