SOLUTION: a parallelogram has sides 8 and 12. the shorter altitude is 6. find the length of the other altitude

Algebra ->  Parallelograms -> SOLUTION: a parallelogram has sides 8 and 12. the shorter altitude is 6. find the length of the other altitude       Log On


   

Question 266711: a parallelogram has sides 8 and 12. the shorter altitude is 6. find the length of the other altitude
Answer by Edwin McCravy(20054) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


The two green lines are the altitudes. The shorter one is 6.
The longer one is the unknown so it is labeled x.

Angle A = angle C because opposite angles of a parallelogram
are equal in measure.

So both right triangles are similar and their sides are 
proportional, so therefore we have the proportion:

x%2F12=6%2F8

Cross multiply:

8x=72

x=9

Edwin