Question

A right triangle has sides A, B, and C. Side A is the hypotenuse and side B is also a side of a rectangle. Sides A, C, and the side of the rectangle adjacent to side B have lengths of `18`, `5`, and `3`, respectively. What is the rectangle's area?

Answer 1

≈ 51.87 square units

Explanation:

The area of the rectangle = 3B

Since the triangle is right with A the hypotenuse, we can find B by using`color(blue)" Pythagoras' theorem "`

`rArr A^2 = B^2 + C^2 rArr B^2 = A^2 - C^2`

here A = 18 , C = 5

`rArr B^2 = 18^2 - 5^2 = 324 - 25 = 299`

now `B^2 = 299 rArr B = sqrt299 ≈ 17.29`

area of rectangle `= 3B = 3xx17.29 = 51.87`