Question

the altitude of a right angle triangle is 7cm less than its base if the hypotenuse is 13cm find the other two side

Answer 1

Let the base of the triangle  then altitude of the triangle  

           Hypotenuse = 13 cm

By Pythagoras theorem

           (Hypotenuse) 2 = (Base)2 + (altitude)2

           

           

           

begin mathsize 12px style open parentheses straight x minus 12 close parentheses open parentheses straight x plus 5 close parentheses equals 0

straight x equals 12 space space space or space space space space straight x equals negative 5 end style

Length can not be negative hence we choose x = 12 cm

Altitude = x - 7 = 12 - 7 = 5 cm