SOLUTION: Area of a sail. A triangular sail has an area of x2 + 5x + 6 square meters and a height of x + 3 meters. Find the lenge of the sail's base. (Area = x2 + 5x + 6m2)

Algebra ->  Surface-area -> SOLUTION: Area of a sail. A triangular sail has an area of x2 + 5x + 6 square meters and a height of x + 3 meters. Find the lenge of the sail's base. (Area = x2 + 5x + 6m2)      Log On


   

Question 123120: Area of a sail. A triangular sail has an area of x2 + 5x + 6 square meters and a height of x + 3 meters. Find the lenge of the sail's base. (Area = x2 + 5x + 6m2)
Answer by Earlsdon(6294) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Given the area (A) of a triangular sail: A+=+x%5E2%2B5x%2B6 sq.m. and its height (h): h+=+x%2B3m., find the length of its base (b).
Start with the formula for the area of a triangle:
A+=+%281%2F2%29bh Make the approriate substitutions from the given data of A and h:
x%5E2%2B5x%2B6+=+%281%2F2%29%28b%29%28x%2B3%29 Multiply both sides by 2.
2x%5E2%2B10x%2B12+=+b%28x%2B3%29 Now divide both sides by (x+3).
%282x%5E2%2B10x%2B12%29%2F%28x%2B3%29+=+b You could use synthetic division or regular long divion, but either way, you get:
2x%2B4+=+b
The length of the base is 2x%2B4m.