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- yo4561
- Course Students
- Posts: 112
- Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2020 3:42 pm
Area of equilateral triangle?
Why can't you use (1/2)(b)(h) to solve for the area of an equilateral triangle?
- Whit Garner
- ManhattanGMAT Staff
- Posts: 74
- Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2010 5:23 am
Re: Area of equilateral triangle?
Hi!
You actually CAN use 1/2(b)(h) for the area of any triangle, but you have to make sure that the base and the height intersect at a 90-degree angle. For an equilateral triangle, the height would be a line from one angle to the middle of the side directly across from that angle. It won't be a side of the triangle. In fact, the only triangle that has both the base and the height as sides would be a right triangle!
Whit
You actually CAN use 1/2(b)(h) for the area of any triangle, but you have to make sure that the base and the height intersect at a 90-degree angle. For an equilateral triangle, the height would be a line from one angle to the middle of the side directly across from that angle. It won't be a side of the triangle. In fact, the only triangle that has both the base and the height as sides would be a right triangle!
Whit
"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." - George Bernard Shaw
2 posts Page 1 of 1