SOLUTION: 3. The area of a triangle is 102 cm^2. Determine the base and the altitude of the triangle if the altitude exceeds the base by 5 cm.

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Question 1196830: 3. The area of a triangle is 102 cm^2. Determine the base and the altitude of the triangle if the altitude exceeds the base by 5 cm.
Answer by ikleyn(52776) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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The area of a triangle is 102 cm^2. Determine the base and the altitude of the triangle
if the altitude exceeds the base by 5 cm.
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Write the area equation

    %281%2F2%29%2Ax%2A%28x%2B5%29 = 102


Simplify

    x*(x+5) = 2*102 = 204.


Notice that 204 = 4*51 = 4*3*17 = 12*17  is the product of two numbers, 12 and 17,
whose difference is 5.


After noticing it, you just have the


ANSWER.  The base is 12 cm.  The altitude is 17 cm.

Solved (mentally).