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Find the value of x. Then find the area of the triangle.

Find the value of x. Then find the area of the triangle.-example-1
User Sean P
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1 Answer

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Explanation:

first of all, remember, the sum of all angles in a triangle is always 180°.

now, we see that both bottom angles are 45°.

that means

180 = 45 + 45 + top-angle

90° = top-angle

aha ! we are dealing with a right-angled triangle, that is also isoceles (both legs are equally long, because the angles with the baseline are equal).

via Pythagoras

c² = a² + b²

where "c" is the Hypotenuse (the side opposite of the 90° angle), "a" and "b" are the legs.

in our case both legs are 7×sqrt(2) units long.

so,

baseline² = (7×sqrt(2))² + (7×sqrt(2))² = 49×2 + 49×2 =

= 98 + 98 = 196

baseline = sqrt(196) = 14 units

x is now the height of this triangle, and because of the isoceles form, it splits the baseline exactly in half.

so, one side of the baseline from x is 14/2 = 7 units.

and now Pythagoras for that sub-triangle :

(7×sqrt(2))² = 7² + x²

98 = 49 + x²

49 = x²

x = sqrt(49) = 7 units

the area of the triangle is

baseline × height / 2

in our case

14 × 7 / 2 = 7×7 = 49 units²

User Sebastian Fox
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