how to find length of unknown side

[jenyrice]

If i have a right triangle with the length of the hypotenuse being 10, and the other side is 8, how do I find the length of the unknown side?

 

[Guest]

hypotenuse =c
side 1 = a
side 2 =b

then c^2 = a^2 + b^2

place your values in this and it becomes

(10)^2 = (8)^2 + b^2

100 = 64 + b^2

36 = b^2

b = ???

 

[Denis]

Boy oh boy, JR; too busy or tired to look up a right triangle?