Questions: Find the missing side of the triangle. Round to the nearest tenth if necessary.
Transcript text: Find the missing side of the triangle. Round to the nearest tenth if necessary.
Solution
Solution Steps
Step 1: Identify the Right Triangle and Known Sides
The given triangle is a right triangle with one leg measuring 9 km and the hypotenuse measuring 12 km. We need to find the length of the other leg, denoted as \( x \).
Step 2: Apply the Pythagorean Theorem
The Pythagorean Theorem states that in a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse (\( c \)) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides (\( a \) and \( b \)):
\[ c^2 = a^2 + b^2 \]
Here, \( c = 12 \) km, \( a = 9 \) km, and \( b = x \).
Step 3: Substitute Known Values and Solve for \( x \)
Substitute the known values into the Pythagorean Theorem:
\[ 12^2 = 9^2 + x^2 \]
\[ 144 = 81 + x^2 \]
Step 4: Isolate \( x^2 \)
Subtract 81 from both sides to isolate \( x^2 \):
\[ 144 - 81 = x^2 \]
\[ 63 = x^2 \]
Step 5: Solve for \( x \)
Take the square root of both sides to find \( x \):
\[ x = \sqrt{63} \]
\[ x \approx 7.9 \] (rounded to the nearest tenth)
Final Answer
The length of the missing side \( x \) is approximately 7.9 km.