Answer: the length of c is √29
Step-by-step explanation:
The Pythagorean Theorem states that "The square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares on the opposite sides."
The formula looks like c² = a² + b²
To apply that here, "c" is the hypotenuse of the right triangle that has "2" and "5" as the opposite sides. We can consider 2 as side a, and 5 as side b.
Square each of those numbers, then add them together.
2² means 2×2=4 and 5² is 5×5=25 4+25 = 29
Now we go into reverse to get the value of c. We have c²=29
So we take the square root of 29 c=√29
That is an "irrational" number, meaning it is not a whole number or a fraction. So we can get an approximate value by using a calculator. (Nowadays! Back in the day, there was a nice long paper and pencil procedure. . .)
√29 is about 5.385164807.... and it keeps going. Just round it off!
(Some math teachers are fine with leaving the <em>irrational</em> roots as √something)
Apparently, the green answer box for this question needs √29
<em>But it helps if you can associate some nearly rational value to make sense of it.</em>
<em>But you know the length of c should be about 5.39. It makes sense if you were to measure the sides with a ruler.</em>
