The Pythagorean Theorem states that in a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse (C) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides (A and B):
C² = A² + B²
Here, the two given sides are 16 ft and 12 ft. Let's assign:
- A = 16 ft
- B = 12 ft
Step 1: Square both sides:
- A² = 16² = 256
- B² = 12² = 144
Step 2: Add the squares:
C² = 256 + 144 = 400
Step 3: Take the square root of both sides to solve for C:
C = √400 = 20 ft
Final answer: The length of the hypotenuse C is 20 ft.