Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 64%
Entry Exam
Passage / Scenario
What is the length of the unknown leg of a right triangle that has one leg measuring 8 feet and a hypotenuse of 12 feet? (Round to the nearest tenth)
Correct answer
D
Rationale
To find the length of the unknown leg of a right triangle, you can use the Pythagorean theorem. The theorem states that the square of the length of the hypotenuse (12 feet) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. Let x be the length of the unknown leg. So, 12^2 = 8^2 + x^2. Solving for x gives x = ?ó?Ã¥?Ã(12^2 - 8^2) = ?ó?Ã¥?Ã(144 - 64) = ?ó?Ã¥?Ã80 ?óÔÇ??Ã¥ 8.9 feet. Therefore, the length of the unknown leg is approximately 8.9 feet.