Answer:
a = 12
General Formulas and Concepts:
Pre-Algebra
- Order of Operations: BPEMDAS
- Equality Properties
Trigonometry
[Right Triangles Only] Pythagorean Theorem: a² + b² = c²
- a is a leg
- b is another leg
- c is the hypotenuse
Step-by-step explanation:
Step 1: Identify
We are given a right triangle. We can use PT to solve for the missing length a.
Step 2: Define
hypotenuse c = 15
leg b = 9
leg a = ?
Step 3: Find missing length a
- Substitute in variables: a² + 9² = 15²
- Isolate a term: a² = 15² - 9²
- Exponents: a² = 225 - 81
- Subtract: a² = 144
- Isolate a: a = ±12
Since we are not dealing with a quadrant triangle, we can disregard the negative root of the quadratic.
∴ a = 12 is our final answer.
