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Plot and connect the points A(1,-5), B(-4,-3), C(3,-3), and find the area of the triangle it forms.

User Xinyi Li
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1 Answer

19 votes
19 votes

Answer:

7 square units

Explanation:

Two of the points are on the horizontal line y = -3, so it is convenient to call that the "base" of the triangle. The length of the base is the difference in the x-coordinates of its end points:

b = 3 -(-4) = 7

The height is measured perpendicular to the base, so is the vertical distance from the line y=-3 to the third point. That distance is the difference between -3 and the y-coordinate of point A:

-3 -(-5) = 2

The triangle has a base of length 7 and a height of 2. Its area is ...

A = 1/2bh

A = 1/2(7)(2) = 7 . . . . square units

Plot and connect the points A(1,-5), B(-4,-3), C(3,-3), and find the area of the triangle-example-1
User Ryan Riehle
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3.1k points