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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.


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