Answer:
12 cm is your answer
Explanation:
Use the equation: a² + b² = c² , in which c is the hypotenuse, and a & b are the other sides.
Note that the hypotenuse is 15, and the shorter leg is 9 cm. Plug in the corresponding numbers into the corresponding variables
a² + (9)² = (15)²
Simplify. First, solve for the solvable squares
a² + 81 = 225
Isolate the variable a. Note the equal sign, what you do to one side, you do to the other. Do the opposite of PEMDAS. First, subtract 81 from both sides:
a² + 81 (-81) = 225 (-81)
a² = 225 - 81
a² = 144
Isolate the variable a. Root both sides.
√(a²) = √(144)
a = √144 = √(12 * 12) = 12
a = 12
12 cm is your answer
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