Question

The height of a triangle is 4 yards greater than the base. The area of the triangle is 70 square yards. Find the length of the base and the height of the triangle.

Answer 1

9514 1404 393

Answer:

• base: 10 yards
• height: 14 yards

Explanation:

Let b represent the length of the base. Then (b+4) is the height and the area of the triangle is ...

A = 1/2bh

70 = 1/2(b)(b+4)

b² +4b -140 = 0 . . . . . multiply by 2, put in standard form

(b +14)(b -10) = 0 . . . . factor

b = 10 . . . . the positive solution

The base of the triangle is 10 yards; the height is 14 yards.