SOLUTION: There are two right triangles back to back and the base of both triangles together is 20 and the two hypotenuses have a value of x. I'm supposed to find the area of the triangles

Question 363510: There are two right triangles back to back and the base of both triangles together is 20 and the two hypotenuses have a value of x. I'm supposed to find the area of the triangles together.
Answer by edjones(8007) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let a=the common altitude of each triangle.
a^2+b^2=c^2
a^2+10^2=x^2 for one of the triangles.
a^2=x^2-100
a=sqrt(x^2-100)
.
0.5ab=A(triangle)
0.5*10(sqrt(x^2-100))
=5*sqrt(x^2-100) area of one of the triangles.
10*sqrt(x^2-100) area of the triangles together.
.
Ed

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