Question

what is the length of the missing leg? if necessary, round to the nearest tenth. b = miles

Explanation:

Step1: Apply Pythagorean theorem

In a right - triangle, $a^{2}+b^{2}=c^{2}$, where $c$ is the hypotenuse and $a$ and $b$ are the legs. Here $c = 4$ mi and $a = 1$ mi. We want to find $b$, so $b=\sqrt{c^{2}-a^{2}}$.

Step2: Substitute values

Substitute $c = 4$ and $a = 1$ into the formula: $b=\sqrt{4^{2}-1^{2}}=\sqrt{16 - 1}=\sqrt{15}$.

Step3: Calculate and round

$\sqrt{15}\approx3.9$ (rounded to the nearest tenth).

Answer:

$3.9$