The hypotenuse of a right triangle is 7 ft long. One leg is 1.4 ft longer than the other leg. Find the lengths of the legs. Round to 1 decimal place. A) 1.4 ft² and 5.6 ft² B) 1.4 ft and 5.6 ft C) 4.1 ft² and 5.7 ft² D) 4.2 ft and 5.6 ft

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using the Pythagorean theorem, $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$, where $c = 7$ ft (hypotenuse), and one leg ($a$) is 1.4 ft longer than the other leg ($b$), so $a = b + 1.4$. Substituting $a$ into the equation gives $(b + 1.4)^2 + b^2 = 49$. Solving this equation for $b$ gives $b \approx 4.2$ ft, and thus $a \approx 5.6$ ft.

The Hypotenuse of a Right Triangle Is 7 Ft Long