rebecca1233 2 years ago in a 40 ^0 - 45^0 - 90^0 right triangle, the hyptoenuse is 5m. how long are the legs? please help

1. rebecca1233

oops first one is 45^0 too

2. rebecca1233

so 45^0 - 45^0 - 90^0

3. jim_thompson5910

Hint: |dw:1358468818520:dw|

4. baziham

|dw:1358468848265:dw|

5. rebecca1233

so what do i do? can u help me get the answer?

6. jim_thompson5910

The figure allows us to say $\Large x\sqrt{2} = 5$

7. jim_thompson5910

8. rebecca1233

so i just 2 *5?

9. jim_thompson5910

no

10. jim_thompson5910

You have to divide both sides by $$\Large \sqrt{2}$$, then rationalize the denominator (if the book requires you to do it)

11. rebecca1233

so 5 divide by 2?

12. jim_thompson5910

square root of 2

13. rebecca1233

so 3

14. jim_thompson5910

no, it's not 3

15. rebecca1233

idk i suck at square rooting stuff

16. jim_thompson5910

It's just simply $\Large x = \frac{5}{\sqrt{2}}$ optionally you can rationalize the denominator to get $\Large x = \frac{5\sqrt{2}}{2}$

17. rebecca1233

5 divide square root 2 ?

18. jim_thompson5910

yep

19. rebecca1233

1.41

20. rebecca1233

1.414

21. jim_thompson5910

that's the approximate value of the square root of 2

22. rebecca1233

ok then what cause i gotta find how long the leg is

23. jim_thompson5910

type this into your calculator 5/sqrt(2)

24. rebecca1233

i did thats wat i got

25. jim_thompson5910

you couldn't have gotten 1.414 if you typed in 5/sqrt(2)

26. rebecca1233

well i did .

27. rebecca1233

i got more numbers than that but i just didnt write em all

28. rebecca1233

those were beginning numbers

29. jim_thompson5910

i think you just typed in sqrt(2)

30. rebecca1233

no.. i did the 5 / sqt 2

31. jim_thompson5910

well it should be 3.5355339059

32. rebecca1233

hmm..

33. jim_thompson5910

my thoughts exactly, not sure how you got 1.414

34. rebecca1233

hmm.. so what do i do now ?

35. jim_thompson5910

once you have 3.5355339059, you are done finding the approximate leg length

36. rebecca1233

okay. i got it.. thanks :)

37. jim_thompson5910

yw

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