Answer:
C
Step-by-step explanation:
Calculate AC using Pythagoras' identity in ΔABC
AC² = 20² - 12² = 400 - 144 = 256, hence
AC = = 16
Now find AD² from ΔACD and ΔABD
ΔACD → AD² = 16² - (20 - x)² = 256 - 400 + 40x - x²
ΔABD → AD² = 12² - x² = 144 - x²
Equate both equations for AD², hence
256 - 400 + 40x - x² = 144 - x²
-144 + 40x - x² = 144 - x² ( add x² to both sides )
- 144 + 40x = 144 ( add 144 to both sides )
40x = 288 ( divide both sides by 40 )
x = 7.2 → C
Answer:
Work Shown:
I'm assuming your teacher wants you to factor as much as possible.
In the last step, I used the rule that
We cannot factor any further. If the first term was instead of
, then we could use the difference of squares factoring rule.