What is the smallest altitude in the triangle with sides 3, 4 and 5?
a. 5/7
b. 1
c. 2
d. 12/5
e. 3
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Smallest Altitude of a Triangle
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ousek
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Hi,dtweah wrote:What is the smallest altitude in the triangle with sides 3, 4 and 5?
a. 5/7
b. 1
c. 2
d. 12/5
e. 3
The basic for formula for triangle altitude is:
Area=altitude*base
Hence: 3*4=altitude*5 => altitude=12/5
My answer : D
Best regards,
ousek wrote:Hi,dtweah wrote:What is the smallest altitude in the triangle with sides 3, 4 and 5?
a. 5/7
b. 1
c. 2
d. 12/5
e. 3
The basic for formula for triangle altitude is:
Area=altitude*base
Hence: 3*4=altitude*5 => altitude=12/5
You nailed it Ousek.
My answer : D
Best regards,
-
sureshbala
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 319
- Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2009 10:32 am
- Location: Delhi
- Thanked: 84 times
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Area of the triangle = 1/2 X base X altitude.
If you consider 4 as the base, the altitude will be 3
So area = 1/2 X 3 X 4.....(1)
The altitude of a triangle will be least provided the base is maximum.
So the least altitude will be on the side 5.
Hence considering 5 as the base, and the altitude (which will be least) on to it as A, the area is
1/2 X 5 X A......(2)
Since the area of a triangle is constant, we have (1) = (2)
i.e. 1/2 X 3 X 4 = 1/2 X 5 X A
i.e A = 12/5
If you consider 4 as the base, the altitude will be 3
So area = 1/2 X 3 X 4.....(1)
The altitude of a triangle will be least provided the base is maximum.
So the least altitude will be on the side 5.
Hence considering 5 as the base, and the altitude (which will be least) on to it as A, the area is
1/2 X 5 X A......(2)
Since the area of a triangle is constant, we have (1) = (2)
i.e. 1/2 X 3 X 4 = 1/2 X 5 X A
i.e A = 12/5
