document.write( "Question 153016: a triangular sail has an area of x squared +5x+6 squared meters and a height of x+3 meters. find the length of the sail's base. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #112465 by nerdybill(7384)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! The problem expects that you know the formula for any triangle is: \n" ); document.write( "area = (1/2)bh \n" ); document.write( "where \n" ); document.write( "b is the length of the base of the triangle \n" ); document.write( "h is the height of the triangle \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "Your problem defines: \n" ); document.write( "area = x^2 + 5x + 6 square meters \n" ); document.write( "h = x+3 meters \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "All we need to do now, is plug in our given values and solve for 'b': \n" ); document.write( "area = (1/2)bh \n" ); document.write( "x^2 + 5x + 6 = (1/2)b(x+3) \n" ); document.write( "Start, by multiplying both sides by 2: \n" ); document.write( "2(x^2 + 5x + 6) = b(x+3) \n" ); document.write( "Now, we divide both sides by (x+3): \n" ); document.write( "[2(x^2 + 5x + 6)]/(x+3) = b \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "At this point, we can factor the numerator: \n" ); document.write( "[2(x^2 + 5x + 6)]/(x+3) = b \n" ); document.write( "[2(x+3)(x+2)]/(x+3) = b \n" ); document.write( "Canceling like-terms we finally get: \n" ); document.write( "2(x+2) = b (this is your answer) \n" ); document.write( "or you could re-write it as: \n" ); document.write( "2x+4 = b \r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |