Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST) Practice Test 2025 – All-in-One Study Guide for Exam Success!

Question: 1 / 460

Using the Pythagorean Theorem, if "b" = 12 ft and "c" = 13 ft, what is the value of "a"?

10 ft

12 ft

5 ft

To find the value of "a" using the Pythagorean Theorem, which is expressed as \( a^2 + b^2 = c^2 \), you start by substituting the known values. In this case, "b" is 12 ft and "c" is 13 ft.

First, substitute the values into the equation:

\[

a^2 + 12^2 = 13^2

\]

This simplifies to:

\[

a^2 + 144 = 169

\]

Next, you isolate \( a^2 \) by subtracting 144 from both sides:

\[

a^2 = 169 - 144

\]

\[

a^2 = 25

\]

Now, take the square root of both sides to find "a":

\[

a = \sqrt{25} = 5

\]

Therefore, the value of "a" is indeed 5 ft. The Pythagorean Theorem is a fundamental principle in geometry that relates the sides of a right triangle, allowing us to find unknown lengths when we have sufficient information about the other sides.

The other options present values that do not satisfy the equation derived from the P

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8 ft

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