Pythagorean theorem: find a leg

The hypotenuse is the side opposite the right angle, and always the longest.

Here the hypotenuse is given — 34 cm — and a leg is missing, so this time you subtract.

Square the two you have: 34² = 1156 and 16² = 256.

The leg's square is what is left when you take the other leg's square off the hypotenuse's: 1156 − 256 = 900.

Now take the square root: √900 = 30 cm.