Question

The side lengths of a right triangle are 18 cm, 24 cm, and 30 cm. You are asked to find the area of the triangle by using A = 1/2bh. 1. How do you decide which side lengths to use? 2. Find the area of the right triangle. PLS HELP

Answer 1

Answer:

1. Use the Adjacent and opposite side (Ignore the Hypotenuse)

Or use HERO'S FORMULA based on the information given

2. Area = 216cm^2

Step-by-step explanation:

There are three to four ways we can go about finding the area of a triangle. And a these would be dependent on the information given about the triangle.

From the question, you said the three side lengths are given. In such case, we employ the HERO FORMULA.

HERO FORMULA:

Area = √ s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)

where s = 1/2(a + b + c)

a, b, c are the three sides

But since the question insisted that we use 1/2* base * height. Let's use our know of right angle to dissolve that.

A right angle triangle has three sides. The longest is always the Hypotenuse.

Let's take it this way.

Hypotenuse = 30cm

Opposite= 18cm

Adjacent = 24cm

Area = 1/2 * base * height

Area = 1/2 * 18 * 24

Area = 1/2 * 432

Area = 216cm^2

We ignored the longest side, (the Hypotenuse)