If the shortest side of a right triangle is 6" and the longest side is 10", how long is the third side?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The third side is the hypotenuse, which can be found using the Pythagorean Theorem:

a^2 + b^2 = c^2

where a and b are the two legs (shortest and unknown sides) and c is the hypotenuse (longest side).

Plugging in the values:

6^2 + b^2 = 10^2

Simplifying:

36 + b^2 = 100

b^2 = 64

b = 8

Therefore, the third side is 8".

If the Shortest Side of a Right Triangle Is 6