SOLUTION: YIELD RIGHT OF WAY SINGNS USED IN THE US ARE TRIANGLES. THE AREA OF THE SIGN IS ABOUT 558 SQUARE INCHES. THE HEIGHT OF THE SIGN IS ABOUT 5 INCHES LESS THAN ITS BASE. DETERMINE THE

Algebra ->  Percentage-and-ratio-word-problems -> SOLUTION: YIELD RIGHT OF WAY SINGNS USED IN THE US ARE TRIANGLES. THE AREA OF THE SIGN IS ABOUT 558 SQUARE INCHES. THE HEIGHT OF THE SIGN IS ABOUT 5 INCHES LESS THAN ITS BASE. DETERMINE THE       Log On


   

Question 59840: YIELD RIGHT OF WAY SINGNS USED IN THE US ARE TRIANGLES. THE AREA OF THE SIGN IS ABOUT 558 SQUARE INCHES. THE HEIGHT OF THE SIGN IS ABOUT 5 INCHES LESS THAN ITS BASE. DETERMINE THE LENGTH OF THE BASE OF THE YIELD RIGHT OF WAY SIGN.
Answer by Earlsdon(6294) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The area of a triangle is given by:
A+=+bh%2F2 = 558 sq. ins.
The height, h = b-5 Substitute this into the above equation and solve for b.
b%28b-5%29%2F2+=+558 Multiply both sides by 2
b%28b-5%29+=+1116 Subtract 1116 from both sides and simplify.
b%5E2+-+5b+-+1116+=+0 Solve by factoring.
%28b-36%29%28b%2B31%29+=+0 Apply the zero product principle.
b-36+=+0 and/or b%2B31+=+0
If b-36+=+0 then b+=+36 This is a valid solution since it is positive.
If b%2B31+=+0 then b+=+-31 Not a valid solution since the length of the base must be a positive value.
The length of the base is 36 inches.