Let's break down the problem step by step.
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An expression for the base of the triangle:
The problem states that the base is four less than three times the height. If we let \( h \) represent the height, then the base \( b \) can be expressed as: \[ b = 3h - 4 \]
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Equation for the area of the triangle, substituting in for the base:
The formula for the area \( A \) of a triangle is given by \( A = \frac{b \times h}{2} \). Given that the area is 38 square centimeters, we substitute for \( b \): \[ 38 = \frac{(3h - 4) \times h}{2} \]
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The first step in solving for \( h \):
To eliminate the fraction, we can multiply both sides of the equation by 2: \[ 76 = (3h - 4) \times h \]
Now we can review the response areas based on our findings:
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An expression for the base of the triangle: \( 3h - 4 \)
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Equation for the area of the triangle, substituting in for the base: \( 38 = (3h - 4) \times h / 2 \) (but after multiplying by 2, it becomes \( 76 = (3h - 4) \times h \))
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The first step in solving for \( h \): Multiply both sides by 2 (leading to \( 76 = (3h - 4)h \))
So, if you need to fill in the response areas, here is how you would do it:
- Response: \( 3h - 4 \)
- Response: \( 38 = (3h - 4) \times h / 2 \) or \( 76 = (3h - 4) \times h \) (after multiplying by 2)
- Response: Multiply both sides by 2