SOLUTION: The height of a triangle is 6 yards greater than the base. The are of the triangle is 216 square yards. Find the length of the base and the height of the triangle

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Question 1054152: The height of a triangle is 6 yards greater than the base. The are of the triangle is 216 square yards. Find the length of the base and the height of the triangle
Found 2 solutions by Fombitz, addingup:
Answer by Fombitz(32388) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
h=6%2Bb
A=%281%2F2%29bh=216%7D%7D%0D%0A%7B%7B%7Bbh=432
b%286%2Bb%29=432
b%5E2%2B6b-432=0
%28b-18%29%28b%2B24%29=0
Only positive values of b make sense,
b-18=0
b=18yds
Then,
h=6%2B18
h=24yds

Answer by addingup(3677) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Completing the squares (you don't have to worry whether the quadratic will factor or not, this ALWAYS works):
x*(x+6) = 216
x^2+6x = 216
take 1/2 of the factor of x and square it:
The factor of x is 6, 6/2 = 3 and 3^2 = 9
x^2+6x+9 = 216+9
(x+3)^2 = 225
x+3 = +-sqrt225 = +-15
x = -3-15 or x = -3+15
x = -18 or x = 12
Since we are not looking for a negative number, throw away the -18 and take the 12:
12*(12+6) = 12*18 = 216 this answer is correct.
:
John