A gardener wants to create a triangular garden in the shape of a right triangle with shortest side length x – 2y ft. and the middle length side x + 3y ft. What is an algebraic expression for the area of the garden? Be sure to multiply this out and express in simplest correct mathematical form, including units.

Question

anonymous · Answer

a = 1/2(base)*(height), so:  1/2(x-2y ft)*(x+3y ft) = 

(x^2 -6y^2 + xy)/2 ft^2

anonymous · Answer

is that the answer??

shadowfiend · Answer

Yep!

anonymous · Answer

im not understanding how you got that

shadowfiend · Answer

It was three parts. First off, if you draw a right triangle, you'll see that depending on which direction you draw it in, either side can be the `base' or the `height'.

Second, you have the equation, $\frac{1}{2}bh$, which is one half of the base times the height. That's the equation for the area of a triangle.

Lastly, you plug the two sides they give you in for the base and height, so you get:

$$\frac{1}{2}(x - 2y) (x + 3y)$$

And then you multiply all of that out, which is what gives you the result nothingmaster came up with.

anonymous · Answer

ok....i get the 1/2*bh but im not sure how that answer comes out.....I SUCK ATMATH!!! lol math makes me wanna cry