Question

Find the area of the triangle with a = 4 feet, b = 8 feet, and c = 11 feet. Round to the nearest tenth.

Answer 1

Can you use the Heron's Formula?

Answer 2

This is in relevance to the sides of a right triangle and the answer choices are:

12.3 ft2
9.3 ft2
14.3 ft2
13.3 ft2

Answer 3

Oh, a right triangle!

Answer 4

I'm not sure what that is.

Answer 5

Since 11 is the highest, it must be the hypotenuse. Which means that the other two are the base and height of the right triangle. Now, use the Area of a Triangle Formula.
It is Area = Base*Height / 2

Answer 6

See, that's where I got 16 (4/2*8), but that doesn't fit with the answer choices.

Answer 7

Then shouldn't it be 16? Are your options correct? =?

Answer 8

Yeah, I know. But that's the only explanation since it's a right angled triangle.

Answer 9

Yep. I posted exactly what the question said in the title and the answer choices.

Answer 10

Oh. But you did get what I was trying to say, right?

Answer 11

Yeah, but. How would this work with Heron's Formula? (Maybe I've interpreted it wrong; this is a Trig course, so I assumed it would concern Right Triangles, but maybe not?)

Answer 12

We use Heron's formula when we know all the three sides and the triangle isn't a right angled one. It's a very lengthy process, so we refrain from using it with right angled triangles as they can be better solved using the normal Triangle's Area formula.

Answer 13

http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/emt725/heron/image12.gif

Answer 14

Oh. If it helps, we were learning about the Law of Sines in this lesson. (That confused me all the more.) Nothing was said about Heron's Formula here or in subsequent lessons, so I think we can avoid that?

Answer 15

Yeah, Heron's formula isn't required here if you've been learning Trigonometry.

Answer 16

And the Law of Sines relates to angles/sides, but we're only given sides to work with here. Sigh!

Answer 17

Which angle of Tan is 1/2?

Answer 18

There isn't one. *Sigh* We can't find the angles!
Do you guys use a calculator? And even if we find the angles, what use is it?!

Answer 19

We don't use Trigonometry for finding the area. It's only used to find the angles or sides of a right triangle.

Answer 20

We can use calculators, but if I knew how to approach the problem I would've used it. :P

Answer 21

Honestly, I'm not sure. Thank you for your effort, though. I'm probably just going to guess and hope it doesn't account for much of my grade.

Answer 22

Hehe, we couldn't use calculators. T_T
And I wish I remembered how Trigonometry. It was way back in the 9th grade I think.
But really, are you sure the question isn't faulty?

Answer 23

On my part, I'm sure it isn't faulty. On the teacher's fault, I'm not sure. I'll ask him about it tomorrow.

Answer 24

Ah, alright. Good luck with that. =D
On a personal note, which grade are you in?

Answer 25

10th. Pre-Calculus.

Answer 26

Ha. Okay. =]