How to find leg b in pythagorean theorem?

To find leg B in the Pythagorean theorem (a² + b² = c²), where c is the hypotenuse:Formula: b = √(c² - a²)Example: If hypotenuse (c) = 5 and leg (a) = 3:1. b² = 5² - 3²2. b² = 25 - 93. b² = 164. b = √16 = 4So leg B would be 4. Remember, the hypotenuse (c) is always the longest side, opposite the right angle. This works for any right triangle - just make sure you're subtracting the square of the known leg from the square of the hypotenuse, then taking the square root of the result.

Here's a step-by-step approach that might help visual learners:1. Identify your known values - which leg do you know? Which is the hypotenuse?2. Square both known values3. Subtract the square of the known leg from the square of the hypotenuse4. Find the square root of that differenceReal example: If a ladder (hypotenuse) is 13 feet long, and it's 5 feet from the wall (one leg), how high up the wall does it reach?* b = √(13² - 5²) = √(169 - 25) = √144 = 12 feetThe key is remembering that the theorem only works for right triangles, and the hypotenuse must be the longest side. If you get a negative number when subtracting, you've probably mixed up which side is the hypotenuse!