SOLUTION: The base of the triangle is 9 feet longer then the height. The area of the triangle is 68 feet. How long is the base?

Question 368255: The base of the triangle is 9 feet longer then the height. The area of the triangle is 68 feet. How long is the base?
Found 2 solutions by robertb, solver91311:
Answer by robertb(5830) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
,
,

(h+17)(h-8) = 0, or h = -17 or h = 8. We eliminate the first value. Thus the height is 8 feet. The base is 8+9 = 17 feet.
Hope that matches the answer from the back of your book, hehehe...
Answer by solver91311(24713) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

The area of a triangle is calculated by

But since your base is 9 feet longer than the height, and the area is 68, you can write:

Solve the quadratic for the positive root.

John

My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it

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