A question I had a problem with was page 46 #11c in the workbook. The question was Find the lengths of the missing sides. Express the answers in simplest mixed radical form.
This is a picture of the problem in my workbook:
The confusing part about this question was it was the first pythagorean question with 2 combined right triangles. The first time I looked at this question I knew I had to split the triangles apart and use a squared + b squared = c squared but I got stuck after doing the first triangle because I didn’t know how to apply what I got for the first triangle to the second triangle. But then I figured since for the second triangle I have the hypotenuse and one of the ab sides I just have to plug the numbers into a squared and c squared this time. The next part was when I went “ah ha”. I got x squared = 336 but the question was asking for a simplest mixed radical form, so I changed the x squared to a mixed radical but then my answer was totally different then the answer key so I realized I had to use a factor tree or the L method to simplify. After I followed those steps I finally got the right answer.
After doing this problem I realized there are several steps to approach this problem:
1) Identify what the question is asking and how it wants your answer.
2) Identify what method to use (in this case, the pythagorean theorem)
3) Apply the method and answer problem the way the problem wants you to (in this case, simplest mixed radical form)
4) Check by plugging in your answer and seeing if it works.