Use the image to answer the question.

A triangle is graphed by joining three plotted points on a coordinate plane. The x-axis ranges from negative 6 to 10 in increments of 2 and the y-axis ranges from negative 4 to 10 in increments of 2.

Amaury draws an acute triangle on the coordinate grid. He finds the area of the triangle by drawing a rectangle that circumscribes the triangle and forming right triangles. How can Amaury find the area of the triangle? What is the area of the triangle in square units?

To find the area of the triangle, Amaury can:
1. Draw a rectangle circumscribing the triangle.
2. Find the length and width of the rectangle.
3. Find the areas of the two right triangles formed.
4. Subtract the areas of the right triangles from the rectangle's area.

From the image:

Rectangle dimensions:
Length = 8
Width = 6

Rectangle area:
8 × 6 = 48

Right triangles' areas:

Triangle 1: (1/2) × 2 × 4 = 4
Triangle 2: (1/2) × 2 × 2 = 2

Total area of right triangles:
4 + 2 = 6

Area of acute triangle:
48 - 6 = 42

The area of the triangle is 42 square units.
I think your rectangle might be too big for that triangle. Make sure the rectangle goes through the points of the triangle

3 answers

To accurately calculate the area of the triangle using the method described, it's vital to ensure that the rectangle circumscribing the triangle correctly encompasses the vertices of the triangle without exceeding beyond them.

Here's the step-by-step method based on your description:

  1. Draw a Rectangle: Ensure that the rectangle circumscribing the triangle includes all the vertices of the triangle. This means adjusting the dimensions to accurately reflect the coordinates of the vertices.

  2. Find the Length and Width: Measure the distance along the x-axis between the leftmost and rightmost points of the triangle to find the length of the rectangle. Similarly, find the distance along the y-axis between the lowest and highest points of the triangle to determine the width of the rectangle.

  3. Calculate the Area of the Rectangle: Multiply the length and width of the rectangle to find the area.

  4. Identify Right Triangles: Determine the right triangles created by the rectangle that are not part of the triangle you are calculating the area for.

  5. Calculate Areas of the Right Triangles: Use the area formula for triangles, \( \text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times \text{base} \times \text{height} \), to find the areas of the two right triangles.

  6. Subtract the Areas of Right Triangles from the Rectangle's Area: Finally, subtract the total area of the right triangles from the area of the rectangle to find the area of the triangle.

Assuming the rectangle dimensions you mentioned (Length = 8, Width = 6) are correct, which gives:

  • Area of Rectangle: \[ 8 \times 6 = 48 \text{ square units} \]

  • Area of Triangle 1 (base = 2, height = 4): \[ \text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times 2 \times 4 = 4 \text{ square units} \]

  • Area of Triangle 2 (base = 2, height = 2): \[ \text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times 2 \times 2 = 2 \text{ square units} \]

  • Total area of right triangles: \[ 4 + 2 = 6 \text{ square units} \]

  • Area of the acute triangle: \[ 48 - 6 = 42 \text{ square units} \]

Therefore, it appears the area of the triangle found by Amaury is indeed 42 square units, provided the rectangle fully circumscribes the triangle as intended. Double-check that the rectangle is accurately drawn to ensure the calculation is correct.

no it is not 42 cause its to big

Thank you for pointing that out! Let's re-evaluate the dimensions of the rectangle and the method used to calculate the area of the triangle.

To determine the area of the triangle accurately, we should ensure that:

  1. The rectangle surrounds the triangle tightly (i.e., it fits exactly around the triangle vertices).
  2. The dimensions of the rectangle are correct based on the coordinates of the points of the triangle.

Steps to Calculate Area:

  1. Identify the Vertices: Write down the coordinates of the triangle vertices. For instance, if the vertices are at points (x1, y1), (x2, y2), and (x3, y3).

  2. Determine Rectangle Dimensions:

    • Length: This is the horizontal distance between the leftmost vertex (minimum x-coordinate) and the rightmost vertex (maximum x-coordinate).
    • Width: This is the vertical distance between the lowest vertex (minimum y-coordinate) and highest vertex (maximum y-coordinate).
  3. Calculate the Area of the Rectangle: \[ \text{Area}_{\text{rectangle}} = \text{Length} \times \text{Width} \]

  4. Identify and Calculate Area of Triangle: There are several valid methods, but an alternate and direct one is to use the formula for the area of a triangle based on its vertices: \[ \text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \left| x_1(y_2 - y_3) + x_2(y_3 - y_1) + x_3(y_1 - y_2) \right| \] This method avoids the potential miscalculation related to the rectangle.

  5. Recheck if Necessary: Verify the positioning of the rectangle and double-check the area calculations.

Conclusion:

Please provide the exact coordinates of the triangle vertices, and I will help you find the correct area. If the rectangle’s area was incorrectly calculated as 48 square units, that could indicate either larger triangle dimensions have been chosen or that we have overlooked important details affecting the triangle's area.

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