In a right triangle, one leg measures 48 meters and the hypotenuse measures 52 meters. Find the length of the unknown leg.
A)22 meters
B)15 meters
C)19 meters
D)20 meters

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using the Pythagorean theorem, $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$, where $a$ and $b$ are the legs of the triangle and $c$ is the hypotenuse. Given $a = 48$ meters and $c = 52$ meters, we can solve for $b$: $48^2 + b^2 = 52^2$. This simplifies to $2304 + b^2 = 2704$, so $b^2 = 400$. Taking the square root of both sides gives $b = 20$ meters.

In a Right Triangle, One Leg Measures 48 Meters and the Hypotenuse