Suppose you have a right triangle with congruent legs and a hypotenuse that measure (12√5)/5. What is the length of the smaller leg? Round to the nearest hundredth

Pythagoras theorem states that "the sum of the areas of the two squares on the legs (a and b) equals the area of the square on the hypotenuse (c)" i.e.

[tex]c^{2} = a^{2} + b^{2}[/tex]

Let the length of the leg be b and a.

According to the given question.

We have a rigth triangle which have congruent legs.

And hypotenuse, c = [tex]\frac{12\sqrt{5} }{5}[/tex]

Since, the legs are congruent.

Therefore,

a = b

Now, according to the Pythagoras theorem.

[tex]c^{2} = a^{2} + b^{2}[/tex]

[tex]\implies c^{2} = a^{2} + a^{2}[/tex]

[tex]\implies c^{2} = 2a^{2}[/tex]

[tex]\implies (\frac{12\sqrt{5} }{5} )^{2} = 2a^{2}[/tex]

[tex]\implies \frac{144\times 5}{25} = 2a^{2}[/tex]

[tex]\implies \frac{144}{5} = 2a^{2}[/tex]

[tex]\implies \frac{72}{5} = a^{2}[/tex]

[tex]\implies a = \sqrt{\frac{74}{5} }[/tex]

[tex]\implies a = \sqrt{14.8}[/tex]

[tex]\implies a = 3.84[/tex]

[tex]\implies a = 3.8[/tex] unit

Hence, the length of the smaller leg is 3.8 unit.

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