Question

A right triangle has side lengths 4 units, 5 units, and x units what is the difference between the difference values of x?

Answer 1

Use the Pythagorean theorem.

If x is a hypotenuse, then we have:

$x^2=4^2+5^2\\\\x^2=16+25\\\\x^2=41\to x=\sqrt{41}$

If x is a leg, then we have:

$x^2+4^2=5^2\\\\x^2+16=25\ \ \ \ |-16\\\\x^2=9\to x=\sqrt9\to x=3$

Answer: $\sqrt{41}-3$