factoring to find hypotenuse: In right triangle, one side is
- Thread starter MARIE
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- Feb 4, 2004
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i) Draw the picture.
ii) Pick a variable for the "one side".
iii) Write an expression, in terms of the variable in (ii), for "seven feet longer" than the one side. Label the second side with this.
iv) Plug (ii) and (iii) into the Pythagorean Theorem to find an expression for the length of the hypotenuse.
v) Sum (ii), (iii), and (iv), and set equal to "30".
vi) Solve (v) for the value of the variable from (ii).
vii) Back-solve, using the expression in (iv), for the length of the hypotenuse.
If you get stuck, please reply showing how far you have gotten. Thank you.
Eliz.
ii) Pick a variable for the "one side".
iii) Write an expression, in terms of the variable in (ii), for "seven feet longer" than the one side. Label the second side with this.
iv) Plug (ii) and (iii) into the Pythagorean Theorem to find an expression for the length of the hypotenuse.
v) Sum (ii), (iii), and (iv), and set equal to "30".
vi) Solve (v) for the value of the variable from (ii).
vii) Back-solve, using the expression in (iv), for the length of the hypotenuse.
If you get stuck, please reply showing how far you have gotten. Thank you.
Eliz.
