Question

We know that a triangle with side lengths x2 -1, 2x, and x2 1 is a right triangle. Using those side lengths, find the missing triples and x-values. Write the triples in parentheses, without spaces between the numbers, and with a comma between numbers. Write the triples in order from least to greatest.

Answer 1

Least to greatest, the triples are (2x, x²-1, x²+1). Thus the value in the first column of the table is half the value of the first of the triples. Your completed table will be

$\begin{array}{cc}\text{x-value}&\text{triple}\\3&\bf{(6,8,10)}\\\bf{4}&(8,15,17)\\5&\bf{(10,24,26)}\\\bf{6}&(12,35,36)\end{array}$