Question
The altitude of an equilateral triangle is 12cm. Find the length of the sides.
Answers
Reiny
You know the angles of an equilateral triangle are 60º each.
The altitude will form a right-angles triangle with angles 30,60,90º
the lengths of those sides could be 1,√3, and 2
so by ratios:
x/2 = 12/√3
x = 24/√3 = 13.856
or
sin 60 = 12/x
x = 12/sin60 = 13.856
The altitude will form a right-angles triangle with angles 30,60,90º
the lengths of those sides could be 1,√3, and 2
so by ratios:
x/2 = 12/√3
x = 24/√3 = 13.856
or
sin 60 = 12/x
x = 12/sin60 = 13.856