Question

In triangle ABC, with right angle B, side AB is 18 units long and side AC is 23 units long. What is the length of side BC,

to the nearest unit?

Answer 1

BC ≈ 14 units

Explanation:

using Pythagoras' identity in the right triangle.

the square on the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares on the other 2 sides , that is

BC² + AB² = AC²

BC² + 18² = 23²

BC² + 324 = 529 ( subtract 324 from both sides )

BC² = 205 ( take square root of both sides )

BC =
`√(205)` = 14.317.. ≈ 14 units ( to the nearest unit )