Question

A triangle has a height that is 2 inches more than three times the base and an area of 60 in. Find the base and the height of the triangle.

Answer 1

Answer:

Height = 20, Base = 6

Step-by-step explanation:

The area of a triangle is $\frac{bh}{2}$

where b is the base and h is the height

$H = 3B + 2\\\frac{B(3B + 2)}{2}=60\\\\3B^2 + 2B = 120\\3B^2+2B - 120=0$

We can factor by grouping

$3B^2 - 18B + 20B - 120 = 0\\3B(B - 6) + 20(B-6) = 0\\GCF the (B-6)\\(B-6)(3B+20)=0\\B = 6, B = \frac{-20}{3}$

Length can only be positive, so we know that the base is 6 in

The height must be 2 + 3(6) = 20

Height = 20, Base = 6