Question

One leg of a right triangle is 3 inches shorter than the other leg. If the hypotenuse is 7

inches, what are the lengths of the legs? Give the exact answers, not decimal
approximations.

Answer 1

Hypothesis=7
Opposite =x
Adjacent=x-3
A^2=B^2+C^2
7^2=x^2+(x-3)^2
49=x^2+(x-3)(x-3)
49=x^2+x^2-3x-3x+9
49=2x^2-6x+9
Collect like terms
2x^2-6x+9-49=0
2x^2-6x-40=0
Quadratic equation