The height of a triangle is 8ft greater than the base. The area of the triangle is 136.5 square ft. Find the length of the base and the height of the triangle

the base is 9/2 ft and the height is 9/2 + 8, or 25/8, ft.

Step-by-step explanation:

Note that the formula for the area of a triangle is A = (1/2)(base)(height).  Let's abbreviate that to A = (1/2)(b)(h).   We are told that h = b + 8.

Then A = 136.5 = (1/2)(b)(b + 8), or

               (after multiplying both sides by 2)

          A = 273 = b^2 + 8b

                which, when put into standard quadratic form, becomes:

b^2 + 8b - 273 = 0

The coefficients of this quadratic are a = 1, b = 8 and c = -273.

Thus, the discriminant is b^2 - 4ac, or 64 - 4(1)(-273) = 1156 = 17^2.

The roots are then

      -8 ± √1156            -8 ± 17

x =  =   = 9/2 and -25/2

              2                          2

Only the root 9/2 makes sense here, because measurements of length are positive.

Thus, the base is 9/2 ft and the height is 9/2 + 8, or 25/8, ft.

the answer is 1/4

step-by-step explanation: