Question

The length of each leg of an isosceles triangle is 13 and the length of the base is10. The length of the altitude drawn to the base is:

Answer 1

Drawing time!!!

Answer 2

Now, drop the line from the tip of this triangle to the bottom

Answer 3

And you'll find two things, one, this new line is perpendicular to the base, and two, it bisects the base (read: divides the base neatly into two equal parts)

Answer 4

Now you have a nice right triangle, and it's a simple matter of using the Pythagorean theorem to find the value for h, which is your altitude :)

Answer 5

thank you!!