Given:
a and b are two legs of a right triangle and c is hypotenuse.
a=3 and c=5
To find:
The value of b.
Solution:
According to the Pythagoras theorem,
[tex]hypotenuse^2=(leg_1)^2+(leg_2)^2[/tex]
Using Pythagoras theorem, we get
[tex]c^2=(a)^2+(b)^2[/tex]
Now, putting a=3 and c=5, we get
[tex]5^2=(3)^2+b^2[/tex]
[tex]25=9+b^2[/tex]
[tex]25-9=b^2[/tex]
[tex]16=b^2[/tex]
Taking square root on both sides.
[tex]\pm \sqrt{16}=b[/tex]
[tex]\pm 4=b[/tex]
The measure of side of a triangle cannot be negative. So, only value of b is 4.
Therefore, the value of b is 4.
