SOLUTION: Area of a sail. A triangular sail has an area of x^2 + 5x + 6 square meters and a height of x + 3 meters. Find the length of the sail’s base.

Algebra ->  Polynomials-and-rational-expressions -> SOLUTION: Area of a sail. A triangular sail has an area of x^2 + 5x + 6 square meters and a height of x + 3 meters. Find the length of the sail’s base.      Log On


   

Question 146941: Area of a sail. A triangular sail has an area of x^2 + 5x + 6 square meters and a height of x + 3 meters. Find the length of the sail’s base.
Answer by Fombitz(32388) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The area of a triangle is
A=bh%2F2
Let’s substitute for the known values,
x%5E2%2B5x%2B6=b%28x%2B3%29%2F2
We can recognize that the area can be simplified into its factors.
x%5E2%2B5x%2B6=%28x%2B2%29%28x%2B3%29
We can again substitute,
%28x%2B2%29%28x%2B3%29=b%28x%2B3%29%2F2
%28x%2B2%29cross%28%28x%2B3%29%29=b%2Across%28%28x%2B3%29%29%2F2
b=2%28x%2B2%29