The formula for the pythagorean theorem is a^2 + b^2 = c^2, or in this case, leg^2 + leg^2 = hypotenuse^2. After inserting the values into the equation, you get x^2 + 9^2 = 15^2. The next step is to find the value of x, and to do so, you must evaluate the powers (9^2 = 81, 15^2 = 225) and subtract 81 from both sides of the equation. Lastly, take the square root of both sides, and you get the final answer of 12. Hope this helps! Have a good day!