SOLUTION: how do you find the base and height in a triangle if the base is h+8 and the area is 42

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Question 625673: how do you find the base and height in a triangle if the base is h+8 and the area is 42
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
I'm assuming the height is h.

So

Area = (base*height)/2

A = (bh)/2

42 = ((h+8)*h)/2

42*2 = h(h+8)

84 = h^2 + 8h

0 = h^2 + 8h - 84

h^2 + 8h - 84 = 0

(h + 14)(h - 6) = 0

h + 14 = 0 or h - 6 = 0

h = -14 or h = 6

So the height is 6 units and the base is h+8 = 6+8 = 14 units.
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