Calculating the distance in a right triangle involves using the Pythagorean Theorem. This theorem is a mathematical equation stating that in a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse length is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.
- Formula: \( c^2 = a^2 + b^2 \)
- Here, \( c \) represents the hypotenuse, while \( a \) and \( b \) are the triangle's legs.
For instance, with our airplane scenario, where \( a = 24 \, \text{m} \) and \( b = 320 \, \text{m} \), we substitute these values to find \( c \) as follows:
\[ c = \sqrt{(24)^2 + (320)^2} \].
This simplifies to \( c = \sqrt{102976} \), giving the approximate distance the airplane covers. Using a calculator, the plane's descent path comes out to approximately 320.86 meters.