Question

The altitude of a triangle is 7cm less than its base. If the hypotenuse is 13cm find the other two sides

Answer 1

Answer:

let the base be x

then altitude =(x-7)

hypotenuse =13

by Pythagoras theorem

( hypotenuse) ²=(base) ² +( altitude) ²

(13)²=(x) ²+ (x-7)²

169=x² + x² +49 +14x

169- 49 =16x

120 =30x

120/30 =x

4 =x

then

base = x = 4

altitude = x - 7 = 4-7 =3