word problem please help!

congajam

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Apr 7, 2008
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The hypotenuse of a right triangle is 15 centimeters. The shorter leg of the triangle is 3 centimeters less than the other leg. Find the length of both legs of this right triangle.
 
Do you know the Pythagorean Theorem?
If you name the long leg "x", How would you represent the other leg given that "the shorter leg of the triangle is 3 centimeters less than the long leg"?

With that information build your equation based on the Pythagorean Theorem and solve for x. Then answer the rest of the question.
 
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