The length of the long leg of a right triangle is 16 inches more than four times of the shorter leg. The length of the hypotenuse is 17 inches more than four times the length of the shorter leg. Find the side lengths of the triangle.

The side lengths of the triangle, in order, are 11 inches, 60 inches, 61 inches.

Step-by-step explanation:

Let the shorter leg be x, the longer leg, y and the hypotenus, z.

y = 16 + 4x

z = 17 + 4x

By Pythagoras rule,

z^2 = x^2 + y^2

(17+4x) ^2 = x^2 + (16+4x) ^2

that is,

x^2 - 8x - 33 = 0 (A quadratic equation)

By factorising,

(x+3) (x-11) = 0

either x = - 3 or x = 11.

But length cannot be negative. Hence, - 3 is dicarded.

x = 11 inches

y = 16 + 4x = 60 inches

z = 17 + 4x = 61 inches