Question

How do you find the missing side of the right triangle with legs: $a=5,b=12$?

Answer 1

Find the missing side of the right triangle:

Consider the missing side is the hypotenuse, $c$, of the right triangle with legs: $a=5,b=12$.

Use Pythagorean Theorem, ${\left(\mathrm{hypotenuse}\right)}^2={\left(\mathrm{base}\right)}^2+\left(\mathrm{perpendicular}\right)$ to find the hypotenuse:

$\begin{array}{rcl}{c}^2& =& a^2+b^2\\ & =& 5^2+{12}^2\\ & =& 25+144\\ & =& 169\\ & \Rightarrow & c=13\end{array}$

Hence, the missing side is $13$.