the shorter leg of a right triangle is 5 meters shorter than the longer leg the hypotenuse is 5m longer than the longer leg find the side length of the triangle length of the shorter leg: __mlengths of the longer leg:__m length of the hypotenuse: __m

Respuesta :

"The shorter leg is 5 meters shorter than the longer leg", we can express this statement as follows

[tex]a=b-5[/tex]

Where a is the shorter leg and b is the longer leg.

"The hypotenuse is 5m longer than the longer leg", we can express this statement as follows

[tex]c=b+5[/tex]

Where c is the hypotenuse and b is the longer leg.

We have to use Pythagorean's Theorem

[tex]c^2=a^2+b^2[/tex]

First, let's combine the first equation with the last one

[tex]c^2=(b-5)^2+b^2[/tex]

Then, we solve the square binomial

[tex]c^2=b^2-10b+25+b^2[/tex]

Let's combine terms

[tex]c^2=2b^2-10b+25[/tex]

Then, we combine the second equation with the last one above.

[tex](b+5)^2=2b^2-10b+25[/tex]

Let's solve the square binomial.

[tex]b^2+10b+25=2b^2-10b+25[/tex]

Now, we solve for b

[tex]\begin{gathered} 0=2b^2-b^2-10b-10b+25-25 \\ 0=b^2-20b \end{gathered}[/tex]

Let's extract the greatest common factor b

[tex]b(b-20)=0[/tex]

This means b = 0 and b = 20, where the solution that makes sense to the problem is b = 20.

Now, we find the other sides.

[tex]c=b+5=20+5=25[/tex][tex]a=b-5=20-5=15[/tex]

Hence, the shorter leg is 15m, the longer leg is 20m, and the length of the hypotenuse is 25m.