polynomials and rational expression

joannamartinez

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2010
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105
The base of a triangle is 4 inches less than twice the height. The area is 35 inches^2. Find the height and the base. I do not know how to to this. Please help. Thank you.
 
Area of triangle = half the base times the height

h = height
h(2h - 4) / 2 = 35^2
 
joannamartinez said:
The base of a triangle is 4 inches less than twice the height. The area is 35 inches^2. Find the height and the base. I do not know how to to this. Please help. Thank you.

What is the equation for area of a triangle as a function of base and height?
 
\(\displaystyle A \ = \ \frac{(b)(h)}{2}, \ A \ = \ 35, \ b \ = \ 2h-4, \ h \ = \ h.\)

\(\displaystyle You \ should \ be \ able \ to \ take \ it \ from \ here.\)
 
So, what I did was this: 35=(2h-4)(h)/2 would equal -5,7. So the base would be -5 and the height would be 7. Did I do it correctly? Please advise. Thank you.
 
joannamartinez said:
Would this be correct? The base is -34 and the height is 36. Please advise. Thank you.

Are you saying you have a length of side negative?

Length of a side cannot become negative.
 
My prior response is not correct. It is going to take me quite some time to figure this out. Thank you for your help. If I need more help, I will ask again. Thank you.
 
Joanna, look at my thread above and then plug in the appropriate values and you are done.

You are familiar with the quadratic, I assume.
 
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