Question

what is the length of the missing leg? if necessary, round to the nearest tenth. a \boxed{} inches

Explanation:

Step1: Recall Pythagorean theorem

For a right triangle, \(a^{2}+b^{2}=c^{2}\), where \(c\) is hypotenuse, \(a,b\) are legs. Here, \(c = 5\), \(b = 3\), find \(a\).
\[a^{2}=c^{2}-b^{2}\]

Step2: Substitute values

Substitute \(c = 5\), \(b = 3\) into formula:
\[a^{2}=5^{2}-3^{2}=25 - 9=16\]

Step3: Solve for \(a\)

Take square root: \(a=\sqrt{16} = 4\) (since length is positive).

Answer:

4