If a right triangle has a leg that measures 8 inches and the hypotenuse is 12 inches, how long is the other leg? Round to the nearest tenth, if necessary
To find the length of the other leg in a right triangle, we can apply the Pythagorean theorem. The Pythagorean theorem states that in a right triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.
Let's denote the length of the other leg as x. Using the Pythagorean theorem, we have:
x^2 + 8^2 = 12^2
Simplifying further:
x^2 + 64 = 144
Subtracting 64 from both sides:
x^2 = 80
Taking the square root of both sides:
x = √80 ≈ 8.9
Therefore, the length of the other leg is approximately 8.9 inches.