SEARCH HOME Math Central Quandaries & Queries Question from Lorena, a parent: A wire 24 dm is bent to form a right triangle. The ratio of the shorter leg to the hypotenuse is 3:5. Find the length of the longer leg? Hi Lorena,

Suppose the length of the short leg is $a$ dm, the length of the longer leg is $b$ dm and the length of the hypotenuse is $h$ dm. You know three facts

1. $a + b + h = 24$

2. $\frac35 = \frac{a}{h}$ and

3. $a^2 + b^2 = h^2$.

Solve these equations for $b.$

Penny Math Central is supported by the University of Regina and the Imperial Oil Foundation.
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