Question

The height of a triangle is 5 m less than its base. The area of the triangle is 42 m². What is the length of the base?

Answer 1

Answer:

12

Step-by-step explanation:

Let b = base

then

b-5 = height

.

since we know that the area for any triangle is

(1/2)bh

where  

b is base

h is height

.

(1/2)b(b-5) = 42

b(b-5) = 84

b^2-5b = 84

b^2-5b-84 = 0

(b-12)(b+7) = 0

b = {12, -7}

b not equal to negative as b is base of a triangle.

b = 12 meters^2

Hope it helps u.