Tom is paid $7.20 per hour and time-and-a-half for all hours worked over 40 per week.
tom worked 44.5 hours last week.
find his gross earnings.

geometry: triangles

solvers

lessons

answers archive

call the larger triangle abc

then the smaller triangle cde is similar to abc (all angles are equal, aaa).  

ab is the side that is 36, and we wish to find de, the side corresponding to ab

area_cde = area_abc - area_cde --> area_abc / area_cde = 2

let x=length of de

ratio of areas = (ratio of sides)^2

+2+=+%2836%2fx%29%5e2+

+2+=+1296%2fx%5e2+

++x%5e2+=+1296%2f2+=+648+

25.45584

6mm^3 or .6cm^3

      216

      /   \

  36     6

  /   \     /

6     6   6

factor trees are nice.