SOLUTION: Hi I would appreciate if someone could help with this. A triangle ABO has an area of 6. Its vertices are A(-1,3), B(a,0), and O(0,0). Using this information, find a. Thanks

Algebra ->  Triangles -> SOLUTION: Hi I would appreciate if someone could help with this. A triangle ABO has an area of 6. Its vertices are A(-1,3), B(a,0), and O(0,0). Using this information, find a. Thanks       Log On


   

Question 979779: Hi I would appreciate if someone could help with this.
A triangle ABO has an area of 6. Its vertices are A(-1,3), B(a,0), and O(0,0). Using this information, find a.
Thanks
Awen
Answer by josgarithmetic(39620) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Points B and O are on the horizontal axis. Point A is in quadrant four. You can choose a%3C0. The height of your triangle ABO can be from top point A to the horizontal axis, which is distance 3.

Given the area expected, %281%2F2%29abs%28a%29%2A3=6;
abs%28a%29=6%282%2F1%29%281%2F3%29
abs%28a%29=4


The value of a should work for either 4 or -4.
Point B can be (-4,0) or (4,0).