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40 votes
40 votes
Select the correct answer.

What is the height, x, of the equilateral triangle shown?

an equilateral triangle with the angles labeled as 60 degrees and a side length of 10 inches, the height labeled as x

User Gayan Charith
by
3.6k points

2 Answers

20 votes
20 votes

Answer: b

Explanation:

User Edaemon
by
2.5k points
17 votes
17 votes

Answer:

x = 5√3

Explanation:

We will use the Pythagorean theorem with a and b as the lengths of the legs, and c as the length of the hypotenuse.

a² + b² = c²

We need two of the three lengths of a, b, and c, so we can find the third length.

The height divides the equilateral triangle into two right triangles.

Look at one of the right triangles.

One leg is half the side of the triangle.

a = 10/2 = 5

One leg is the height.

b = x

The hypotenuse is the side of the equilateral triangle.

c = 10

a² + b² = c²

5² + x² = 10²

25 + x² = 100

x² = 75

x = √75

x = 5√3

User CaptEmulation
by
2.8k points