SOLUTION: The height of a triangle is 4 meters more than it's base. If the area of the triangle is 160 square meters, find the base and height

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Question 874072: The height of a triangle is 4 meters more than it's base. If the area of the triangle is 160 square meters, find the base and height
Answer by ben720(159) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let b = base
Let b+4 = height
1%2F2%2Abh=A
1%2F2%2Ab%2A%28b%2B4%29=160
Distribute
1%2F2%2Ab%5E2%2B2b=160
Subtract 160 from both sides
1%2F2%2Ab%5E2%2B2b-160
Use the quadratic formula, where x = b
x+=+%28-b+%2B-+sqrt%28+b%5E2-4%2Aa%2Ac+%29%29%2F%282%2Aa%29+
x+=+%28-2+%2B-+sqrt%28+2%5E2-4%2A1%2F2%2A-160%29%29%2F%282%2A1%2F2%29+
x=-2%2B-sqrt%284%2B320%29
x=-2%2B-sqrt%28324%29
Because the measurements must be positive,
x=-2%2B18
x=16
The base is 16 and the height is 20.