document.write( "Question 597319: Will you please help me find the altitude on an acute scalene triangle? The problem is I have been given only the AREA(90 square feet) and the hypotenuse(18 feet). Am I correct in making the assumption the missing part is the base and without its amount of feet an impossible equation to solve with a formula? Thank you for your time and expertise. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #378172 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! The problem is I have been given only the AREA(90 square feet) and the hypotenuse(18 feet). \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "The fact that they give you the hypotenuse, means it is a right triangle, so we can call one side the altitude (a) and the other side the base (b) \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "We know is the two sides are different because it is a scalene triangle, using pythag \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "and the area \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "mult both sides by 2 \n" ); document.write( "a * b = 180 \n" ); document.write( "b = \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "replace b \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "square both sides \n" ); document.write( "a^2 + (180/a)^2 = 324 \n" ); document.write( "a^2 + (180/a)^2 - 324 = 0 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Plot this equation \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "I don't think there is a solution, no x (a) intercept \n" ); document.write( " |