How to find the length of the side of an acute / obtuse isosceles triangle - PSAT Math

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Question

An isosceles triangle has an area of 12. If the ratio of the base to the height is 3:2, what is the length of the two equal sides?

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Answer

Area of a triangle is ½ x base x height. Since base:height = 3:2, base = 1.5 height. Area = 12 = ½ x 1.5 height x height or 24/1.5 = height2. Height = 4. Base = 1.5 height = 6. Half the base and the height form the legs of a right triangle, with an equal leg of the isosceles triangle as the hypotenuse. This is a 3-4-5 right triangle.

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