A right triangle has sides a, b, and c. Side a is the hypotenuse and side b is also a side of a rectangle. Sides a, c, and the side of the rectangle adjacent to side b have lengths of #15/8 #, #4/5 #, and #1 #, respectively. What is the rectangle's area?

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Answer 1 · 2016-09-10T12:28:19

#A = 1.6958#

Knowing that the hypotenuse, #a = 15/8 and c = 4/5#, you can use Pythagoras' Theorem to find #b#

#b^2 = a^2 -c^2#

#b^2 = (15/8)^2 - (4/5)^2 " " rarr 1.75^2 -0.8^2#

#b^2 = 2.875625#

#b = 1.6958#

Now that you have the length of #b#,

#A = l xxb#

#A = 1.6958 xx 1#

#A = 1.6958#