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What is the area of the triangle bounded by the x-axis, the y-axis, and the line y=−5x+20?

User Mcbeev
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1 Answer

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Area is 1/2 the product of the x and y intercepts.

An equation of a straight line with negative slope and positive y intercept,

can be rearranged in the form:

x/a + y/b = 1

where a is the x-intercept and b the y-intercept (and both a and b are positive).

Now, the triangle made by the x- and y- axes and the above straight line

is right-angled with base a and altitude b, and so has area:

a b/2.

The line y = -2 x + 6 rearranged in 2-intercept form is:

x/3 + y/6 = 1.

So a = 3, b = 6 and area

a b / 2 = 9.

User Jobrocol
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