Suppose that one leg of a right triangle is 7 feet shorter than the other leg. The hypotenuse is 2 feet longer than the longer leg. Find the lengths of all three sides of the right triangle.
A) 6 feet, 16 feet, 18 feet
B) 6 feet, 17 feet, 18 feet
C) 10 feet, 17 feet, 19 feet
D) 8 feet, 15 feet, 17 feet
E) 9 feet, 16 feet, 18 feet

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Let the shorter leg be x feet. Then, the longer leg is x + 7 feet, and the hypotenuse is x + 7 + 2 = x + 9 feet. According to the Pythagorean theorem, $x^2 + (x + 7)^2 = (x + 9)^2$. Solving this equation gives x = 8, so the sides are 8 feet, 15 feet, and 17 feet.

Suppose That One Leg of a Right Triangle Is 7