Question

What is the answer to this problem? Ignore the work. What is the correct answer?

Answer 1

Answer:

c = 42.5

Step-by-step explanation:

The legs of the triangle are a and b and the hypotenuse is c

Let a be the shorter leg

The hypotenuse is 5 more than the longest leg

c = b+5

The shortest leg is 20

a = 20

We can use the Pythagorean theorem

a^2 +b^2 = c^2

Substituting in what we know from above

20 ^2 + b^2 = (b+5)^2

FOIL  (b+5)^2 = b^2 +5b+5b +25 = b^2+10b+25

400 + b^2 = b^2+10b+25

Subtract b^2 from both sides

400+b&2-b^2 = b^2 -b^2 +10b+25

400 = 10b+25

Subtract 25 from both sides

400-25 = 10b+25-25

375 = 10b

Divide by 10

375/10 = 10b/10

37.5 = b

But we want to find c

c=b+5

c = 37.5+5

c = 42.5