SOLUTION: The lengths of the right isosceles triangle are 8 cm, 11 cm, and 8 cm. Can you find the area of the triangle? If you can't explain why not. If you can, give the area and explain wh

Algebra ->  Triangles -> SOLUTION: The lengths of the right isosceles triangle are 8 cm, 11 cm, and 8 cm. Can you find the area of the triangle? If you can't explain why not. If you can, give the area and explain wh      Log On


   

Question 956905: The lengths of the right isosceles triangle are 8 cm, 11 cm, and 8 cm. Can you find the area of the triangle? If you can't explain why not. If you can, give the area and explain why you can.
Answer by Fombitz(32388) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
This is not a right isosceles triangle because it doesn't follow the Pythagorean theorem.
8%5E2%2B8%5E2%3C%3E11%5E2
However you can find the area.
Find the height of the triangle using 1/2 the base of 11 and the length 8 to form a right triangle.
H%5E2%2B%2811%2F2%29%5E2=8%5E2
H%5E2=8%5E2-%2811%2F2%29%5E2
H%5E2=64-121%2F4
H%5E2=256%2F4-121%2F4
H%5E2=135%2F4
H=sqrt%28135%29%2F2
H=%283%2F2%29sqrt%2815%29
So then the area is,
A=%281%2F2%29%2811%29%283%2F2%29sqrt%2815%29
A=%2833%2F4%29sqrt%2815%29