SOLUTION: Ok, I have a right triangle with an altitude of 8, the shorter side of the hypotenuse divided by the altitude is 4 and the longer side is represented by a. The shortest side of the

Question 139343: Ok, I have a right triangle with an altitude of 8, the shorter side of the hypotenuse divided by the altitude is 4 and the longer side is represented by a. The shortest side of the triangle is 8.9 and the last side is represented by b. I need help finding a and b.
Answer by scott8148(6628) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
the altitude divides the large triangle into two smaller triangles, both of which are SIMILAR the the large triangle (and each other)

using ratios of similarity __ 4:8::8.9:b and 4:8::8:a

b=17.8 and a=16

trying to check the results using Pythagoras shows that the initial values have been rounded
__ a 4-8-8.9 triangle is NOT a right triangle
__ the 8.9 is actually 4sqrt(5)
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