the isoceles triangle has a perimeter of 7.5 m. which equation can be used to find
in Algebra 1 Answers by

Your answer

Your name to display (optional):
Privacy: Your email address will only be used for sending these notifications.
Anti-spam verification:
To avoid this verification in future, please log in or register.

1 Answer

If a is the length of the equal sides and b the length of the third side, then 2a+b=7.5, the perimeter. The area is found by splitting the triangle into two congruent right-angled triangles back to back. The common side is the height of the triangle. This height^2=a^2-(b/2)^2 by Pythagoras. The area of the triangle is half the base times the height=(b/2)sqrt(a^2-b^2/4). But b=7.5-2a, so the area=(3.75-a)sqrt(a^2-(56.25-30a+4a^2)/4)=(3.75-a)sqrt(4a^2-56.25+30a-4a^2)/2=(3.75-a)sqrt(30a-56.25)/2. So a must be bigger than 1.875 m, so that 30a>56.25 to make it possible to take the square root and, since b is positive and b=7.5-2a, then 7.5-2a>0 and a<3.75 m. So a is between 1.875 and 3.75 metres. When a=3.075 m the area is 2.025 sq m and b=1.35 m. The height is 3 m. This solution has rational values for all the sides and the height.

 

by Top Rated User (1.1m points)

Related questions

Welcome to MathHomeworkAnswers.org, where students, teachers and math enthusiasts can ask and answer any math question. Get help and answers to any math problem including algebra, trigonometry, geometry, calculus, trigonometry, fractions, solving expression, simplifying expressions and more. Get answers to math questions. Help is always 100% free!
87,551 questions
99,638 answers
2,417 comments
445,580 users