Question

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

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 \(c = 13\) ft and \(a = 5\) ft. We want to find \(b\), so \(b=\sqrt{c^{2}-a^{2}}\).

Step2: Substitute values

Substitute \(c = 13\) and \(a = 5\) into the formula: \(b=\sqrt{13^{2}-5^{2}}=\sqrt{169 - 25}=\sqrt{144}\).

Step3: Calculate the square - root

\(\sqrt{144}=12\)

Answer:

12