+0  
 
0
1725
1
avatar+68 

What is the length of one leg of a right triangle if the hypotenuse is 17 and one leg is 8?

 Jan 3, 2017

Best Answer 

 #1
avatar+36915 
+10

Use the Pythagorean theorem for right triangles to solve this

a^2 + b^2 = c^2     where 'a' and 'b' are the legs of the triangle and 'c' is the hypotenuse

so:

8^2 + b^2 = 17^2     solve for the second leg, b

64 + b^2 = 289

b^2 = 289 - 64= 225

b = 15

 Jan 3, 2017
 #1
avatar+36915 
+10
Best Answer

Use the Pythagorean theorem for right triangles to solve this

a^2 + b^2 = c^2     where 'a' and 'b' are the legs of the triangle and 'c' is the hypotenuse

so:

8^2 + b^2 = 17^2     solve for the second leg, b

64 + b^2 = 289

b^2 = 289 - 64= 225

b = 15

ElectricPavlov Jan 3, 2017

2 Online Users