The Pythagorean theorem is used to find the length of a side in a right-angled triangle. It states that:
a2 + b2 = c2
where c is the hypotenuse (the longest side opposite the right angle), and a and b are the other two sides.
Given two sides: 25 meters and 15 meters, you want to find side B. We'll assume:
- One side: 15 m
- The hypotenuse: 25 m
- Side B: unknown (what we want to find)
The formula rearranges to find side B:
B = √(c2 - a2)
Substitute the values:
B = √(252 - 152)
B = √(625 - 225) = √400 = 20 m
Answer: Side B measures 20 meters.
Summary: Use the Pythagorean theorem by squaring the hypotenuse and subtracting the square of the known side. Then take the square root to find the missing side.