Final answer:
The area of the triangle with a base of 30 centimeters and height of 4 centimeters is 60 square centimeters. Understanding unit conversion and significant figures is crucial in measurement calculations. The formula used is Area = 1/2 × base × height.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the area of a triangle with a base of 30 centimeters and a height of 4 centimeters, we can use the formula: Area = 1/2 × base × height. By plugging the given values into the formula, we get: Area = 1/2 × 30 cm × 4 cm = 15 cm × 4 cm = 60 cm². Therefore, the area of the triangle is 60 square centimeters.
Unit conversion and significant figures are important aspects in calculations involving measurements. For rectangles and squares, the area can be calculated by multiplying the length by the width. For example, a square with a side length of 'a' has an area of a², and this is expressed in square units. If the side length were in meters, the area would also be in square meters.
Considering significant figures in measurements, factors like 1m = 100 cm are considered exact numbers and, therefore, do not affect the significant figures in a calculation. For conversions, the numbers must be raised to the power corresponding to the units involved, as seen in converting square centimeters to square meters using the relationship 1 cm² = (10⁻² m)² = 10⁻⁴ m².