SOLUTION: the altitude of a right triangle divides the hypotenuse into two segments of 8cm and 2cm length. Find the area of triangle

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Question 1172201: the altitude of a right triangle divides the hypotenuse into two segments of 8cm and 2cm length. Find the area of triangle
Found 2 solutions by Boreal, mccravyedwin:
Answer by Boreal(15235)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Draw this.
Similar triangles with the altitude x
2/x=x/8, the geometric mean, is the sqrt (2*8), or 4 cm
the base is the hypotenuse of 10 cm
The area is 1/2 bh=20 cm^2
Answer by mccravyedwin(408)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Oh darn, he did it for you before I could post this!
----------------------------------------------------------
Instead of doing your problem for you, I'll do one that is exactly like
yours in every way, step by step.  

The problem I will do is this one:

the altitude of a right triangle divides the hypotenuse into two segments of 9cm and 4cm length. Find the area of triangle

Sketch the triangle:



Find the length of the altitude:





Cross multiply:



























Now do your problem exactly the same way, step by step.

Edwin
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