Question

if a right triangle has one side that measures 12 cm and one side that measures 5 cm, what is the measure of the hypotenuse? a 13 cm b 17 cm c \\( \sqrt { 119 } \\) cm d \\( \sqrt { 139 } \\) cm

Explanation:

Step1: Apply Pythagorean theorem

For a right - triangle, \(a^{2}+b^{2}=c^{2}\), where \(c\) is the hypotenuse and \(a,b\) are the legs. Let \(a = 5\) and \(b=12\).

Step2: Calculate \(c\)

Substitute \(a = 5\) and \(b = 12\) into the formula: \(c=\sqrt{5^{2}+12^{2}}=\sqrt{25 + 144}=\sqrt{169}=13\)

Answer:

A. 13 cm