An advertisement for a portable computer indicates it has a 17-inch viewing screen. This means that the diagonal of the screen measures 17 inches. If the ratio of the height to the width of the screen is 3 to 4, we can represent the height with 3 x and the width with 4 x , and then use the Pythagorean theorem to solve for x . Once we have x , the height will be 3 x and the width will be 4 x . Find the height and width of this computer screen to the nearest tenth of an inch.
A)Width = 13.6 in.; Height = 10.2 in.
B)Width = 11.6 in.; Height = 12.2 in.
C)Width = 15.6 in.; Height = 12.2 in.
D)Width = 10.2 in.; Height = 13.6 in.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Given the 3:4:5 ratio in right triangles, with the diagonal being 17 inches, we can solve for x in the Pythagorean theorem (3x)^2 + (4x)^2 = 17^2. Solving gives x = 17/5, making the width 4x = 13.6 inches and the height 3x = 10.2 inches.

An Advertisement for a Portable Computer Indicates It Has a 17-Inch