Answer:
18 1/12 ft = base length
Explanation:
The area of a triangle of base b and height h is A = (1/2)(b)(h).
Since we want the measure of the base we solve this formula for b:
2A = (b)(h)
2A
and then divide both sides to obtain a formula for b: b = -----------
h
Substituting 217 ft^2 for A and 24 ft for h, we get:
b = 2*217 ft^2 / 24 ft = 18.0833.... ft
If the answer must contain a fraction, take the 18 and hold it and convert the remaining 0.08333... to a fraction. One way of doing this is to use a calculator. On my old TI calculator, I would type in 0.0833333333..
and then press the MATH key and then select Option 1: Decimal to fraction.
Doing this yields 1/12. You can check this result by dividing: 1/12 = 0.08333...
Then the final answer, converted from 18.08333... ft, is
18 1/12 ft = base length