SOLUTION: Great white sharks have a triangular teeth with a height that is 1 centimeter longer than the base. If the area of one tooth is 15 square centimeters, find its base and height. T

Algebra ->  Polynomials-and-rational-expressions -> SOLUTION: Great white sharks have a triangular teeth with a height that is 1 centimeter longer than the base. If the area of one tooth is 15 square centimeters, find its base and height. T      Log On


   

Question 298734: Great white sharks have a triangular teeth with a height that is 1 centimeter longer than the base. If the area of one tooth is 15 square centimeters, find its base and height. The triangle shows the base to be x and the heighth to be x+1.
Answer by nerdybill(7384) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Great white sharks have a triangular teeth with a height that is 1 centimeter longer than the base. If the area of one tooth is 15 square centimeters, find its base and height. The triangle shows the base to be x and the heighth to be x+1.
.
Let x = base
then
x+1 = height
.
"area of a triangle" = (1/2)bh
.
15 = (1/2)(x)(x+1)
30 = (x)(x+1)
30 = x^2 + x
0 = x^2 + x - 30
Factoring the right side:
0 = (x+6)(x-5)
x = {-6, 5}
We can toss out the negative solution leaving us with:
x = 5 cm (base)
.
height:
x+1 = 5+1 = 6 cm (height)