Answer:
15
Step-by-step explanation:
You can use Pythagorean theorem or if you draw it out and label the given information you may recognize that the triangle created is a 3 - 4 - 5 triangle.
[tex]25^{2}[/tex] = [tex]20^{2}[/tex] + [tex]x^{2}[/tex] [tex]c^{2}[/tex] = [tex]a^{2}[/tex] + [tex]b^{2}[/tex]
625 = 400 + [tex]x^{2}[/tex]
225 = [tex]x^{2}[/tex] Square root both sides
15 = x
A special right triangle has a leg that measures 3, another leg that measures 4. and a hypotenuse that measures 5.
The given triangle in this problem has a leg that measures 20 and a hypotenuse that measures 25. If you divide each measure by 5, you will have a leg that is 4, and a hypotenuse that is 5. That means the last leg must be 15.
Why? Because 3 x 5 = 15. or 15/5 = 3
This comes up very often when working with triangles.
