Question

An isosceles triangle has congruent sides of 20 cm. The base is 10 cm. Find the height of the triangle. Leave your answer in simplified radical form.

Answer 1

5√15cm or 19.36cm

Explanation:

An isosceles triangle has two congruent sides.

The height of an isosceles triangle is also the median and the perpendicular bisector of the triangle dividing the base in half and forming two congruent right triangles.

a squared + b squared = c squared

5 squared + h squared = 20 squared

25 + h squared = 400

h squared = 375

h =√375

h = 5√15 cm

h = 19.36 cm