Given right triangle ABC, with right angle at C, if a = 5 and b = 11 use the pythagorean theorem to solve for b?

2 Answers
Jun 12, 2016

Error in question:
If b=11 and we are to solve for c then c=14612.08305
If c=11 and we are to solve for b then b=469.797959

Explanation:

By Pythagorean Theorem (since c is the hypotenuse)
XXXa2+b2=c2

If we are trying to find the value of b, then
XXXb=c2a2

If we are trying to find the value of c, then
XXXc=a2+b2

Simply insert whichever values were intended and perform (or have your calculator perform) the arithmetic.

Jun 12, 2016

The question needs to be clarified... b appears twice.
Either:c=12.08 or b=9.80or46

Explanation:

The small letters represent the sides opposite the vertices with the same capital letter.
c would therefore be the hypotenuse.

This would involved squaring and adding the given sides.

c2=52+112=25+121
If c2=146, c=146
c=12.08

However, if b=11 is meant to be c = 11, it means we are trying to find one of the shorter sides (b), which would involve subtracting:

b2=11252=12125
if b2=96, b=96
b=9.80 or46