Question

The height of a right TRIANGLE IS 7 CM LESS THAN ITS BASE. If the hypotenuse is 13 cm, form the quadratic equation to find the base of the triangle.

Answer 1

By Pythagoras theorem : 

Hypotenuse² = perpendicular² + base² 

Given, height of a right TRIANGLE IS 7 CM LESS THAN ITS BASE and the hypotenuse is 13 cm. 

Let the base be ‘x’ ⇒ 132 = (x – 7)² + x² 

⇒ 169 = x² – 14x + 49 + x² 

⇒ x² – 7x – 60 = 0