Use the image to answer the question.

A composite shape is drawn using a rectangle and a triangle. The rectangle has a base labeled as 6 centimeters. A triangle showing a perpendicular height of 6 centimeters is stacked on the top side of the rectangle. The base of the triangle and the top of the rectangle have a common side. Right angle symbols are shown on all four corners of the rectangle.

John Roy creates this drawing of a composite shape for an art contest. The area of the drawing is 78 square centimeters. What is the height of the rectangle?

(1 point)
Responses

10 centimeters
10 centimeters

12 centimeters
12 centimeters

13 centimeters
13 centimeters

8 centimeters
8 centimeters
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1 answer

To find the height of the rectangle, we can start by calculating the area of the composite shape, which consists of a rectangle and a triangle.

  1. Let the height of the rectangle be \( h_r \) centimeters.

  2. The area of the rectangle can be calculated as: \[ \text{Area of rectangle} = \text{base} \times \text{height} = 6 , \text{cm} \times h_r \]

  3. The triangle has a base equal to the rectangle's base (6 cm) and a height of 6 cm. The area of the triangle is calculated as: \[ \text{Area of triangle} = \frac{1}{2} \times \text{base} \times \text{height} = \frac{1}{2} \times 6 , \text{cm} \times 6 , \text{cm} = 18 , \text{cm}^2 \]

  4. The total area of the composite shape is given as 78 square centimeters, which can be expressed as: \[ \text{Area of rectangle} + \text{Area of triangle} = 78 , \text{cm}^2 \]

  5. Plugging in the values we have: \[ 6 , \text{cm} \times h_r + 18 , \text{cm}^2 = 78 , \text{cm}^2 \]

  6. Solving for \( h_r \): \[ 6h_r = 78 - 18 \] \[ 6h_r = 60 \] \[ h_r = \frac{60}{6} = 10 , \text{cm} \]

Thus, the height of the rectangle is 10 centimeters.