In a right triangle with legs 5 and 12, what is the hypotenuse?

Enhance your skills for the Ascension Composite Cadet Competition. Prepare with focused flashcards and engaging multiple choice questions, all with detailed hints and explanations. Ace your exam with confidence!

Multiple Choice

In a right triangle with legs 5 and 12, what is the hypotenuse?

Pythagorean theorem applies: in a right triangle, the hypotenuse squared equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides. So 5^2 + 12^2 = 25 + 144 = 169, and the hypotenuse is sqrt(169) = 13. Therefore, the hypotenuse measures 13. The other numbers don’t fit the relationship: 10 would require different leg lengths, 12 is a leg here, and 14 would give 14^2 = 196, which doesn’t match 25 + 144.

Pythagorean theorem applies: in a right triangle, the hypotenuse squared equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides. So 5^2 + 12^2 = 25 + 144 = 169, and the hypotenuse is sqrt(169) = 13. Therefore, the hypotenuse measures 13. The other numbers don’t fit the relationship: 10 would require different leg lengths, 12 is a leg here, and 14 would give 14^2 = 196, which doesn’t match 25 + 144.

More practice questions