or the three-part question that follows, provide your answer to each question in the given workspace. Identify each part with a coordinating response.

Question

Use the situation below for Part A, Part B, and Part C. 

A student cuts a piece of paper into a right triangle. The longest side of the triangle is 15 in., and one other side measures 12 in. The length of the third side is unknown. 

Part A: What formula or theorem can be used to create an equation for this situation?

Part B: Write an equation that could be used to find the length of the missing side. 

Part C: Show your work to support your answer to Part B.

e6.q7

Answer 1

Part A

We can use the Pythagorean Theorem where the longest side of c=15 is the hypotenuse and the other given leg length of b=12 to find the missing leg.

Part B

One equation you could write is a=√(c²-b²) and then plug in the values from Part A to do Part C.

Part C

a=√(c²-b²)

a=√(15²-12²)

a=√(225-144)

a=√(81)

a=9

Therefore, the length of the missing side is 9 inches.

Hope this helped!