Question

The triangles are similar. What is the value of x?

Answer 1

Answer:

x = 13

Step-by-step explanation:

There are two ways to do this. You could use the Pythagorean Theorem because you are given that the triangles are right angled triangles.

Method One

a^2 + b^2 = c^2

a = 5

b = 12

c = ?

c^2 = 5^2 + 12^2

c^2 = 25 + 144

c^2 = 169

sqrt(c^2) = sqrt(169)

c = 13

x = 13

Method Two

You can do this problem with similar triangles.

48/12 = 52/x                    Cross multiply

48x = 12 * 52                   Combine the right  

48x = 624                        Divide by 48

48x/48 = 624/48              Do the division

x = 13