document.write( "Question 573316: The congruent sides of an isosceles triangle measure 6cm, and the base measures 8cm. What is the area? I don't understand how you would find the necessary height of the triangle, or how the base of an isosceles triangle can be longer than the two other congruent sides. Thank you:). \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #368738 by lwsshak3(11628)\"\" \"About 
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The congruent sides of an isosceles triangle measure 6cm, and the base measures 8cm. What is the area? I don't understand how you would find the necessary height of the triangle, or how the base of an isosceles triangle can be longer than the two other congruent sides.
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\n" ); document.write( "Just imagine a flattened isosceles triangle and you can see that the base can be longer than the sides. Draw a line from the apex perpendicular to the base. You now will be working with a right triangle where the hypotenuse is one of the sides (6cm), one of the legs is half of the base (4), and the other leg is the height (h).
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\n" ); document.write( "h^2=6^2-4^2
\n" ); document.write( "h^2=36-16=20
\n" ); document.write( "h=√20
\n" ); document.write( "Area=1/2 base*height
\n" ); document.write( "=1/2*8*√20
\n" ); document.write( "=4√20=16√5
\n" ); document.write( "ans:
\n" ); document.write( "Area=16√5 cm^2 \n" ); document.write( "
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