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A diagonal of a parallelogram is also its altitude. What is the length of this altitude, if the perimeter of the parallelogram is 50 cm, and the length of one side is 1 cm longer than the length of the other?

User Fengb
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1 Answer

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Answer:

The length of this altitude is 5 cm.

Explanation:

The length of the altitude = ?

Given the diagonal forms the altitude of the parallelogram. The figure is shown in image.

Given

The perimeter of the parallelogram = 50 cm

The length of one side is 1 cm longer than the length of the other.

Thus,

Let one side (a) is x cm, The other side (b) be (x + 1) cm

Perimeter of parallelogram = 2(a + b) = 2(x +(x + 1)) = 4x + 2 = 50 cm

Thus,

x = AB = CD = 12 cm

x + 1 = BC = AD = 13 cm

Using Pythagorean theorem to find the length of the altitude as:

ΔABC is a right angle triangle.

AB² + AC² = BC²

AC² = 13² - 12² = 5 cm

The length of this altitude is 5 cm.

A diagonal of a parallelogram is also its altitude. What is the length of this altitude-example-1
User Marco Fatica
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