Answer: the base is 28 inches. The altitude is 9 inches
Step-by-step explanation:
Let h represent the altitude of the sign.
Let b represent the length if the base of the sign.
The warning sign is triangular in shape.
The formula for determining the area of a triangle is expressed as
Area = 1/2bh
The base of the sign is 9 inches longer than the altitude. This means that
b = h + 9
If the area of the sign is 266 square inches, it means that
266 = 1/2 × h(h + 9)
266 × 2 = h(h + 9)
532 = h² + 9h
h² + 9h - 532 = 0
h² + 28h - 19h - 532 = 0
h(h + 28) - 19(h + 28) = 0
h(h + 28) - 19(h + 28) = 0
(h + 28)(h - 19) = 0
h = 19 or h = - 28
Since the height cannot be negative, then h = 19
b = h + 9 = 10 + 9
b = 28
