## marcoduuuh Group Title PLSPLSPLSPLS HELP. In the diagram below, is an altitude of ABD. What is the length of ? If necessary, round your answer to two decimal places. (Picture below.) one year ago one year ago

1. marcoduuuh

2. ZeHanz

First try to prove triangle ACB and ABD are similar. Similar triangles have proportional sides (meaning sides in the big triangle are a constant factor times the sides in the small one). Further hint: you may need the Pythagorean Theorem as well...

3. marcoduuuh

a^2+b^2=c^2. Where do I input 16 and 30?

4. marcoduuuh

16 = a, 30 = c?

5. ZeHanz

a and b are the rectagular sides, c is the hypothenuse

6. marcoduuuh

16^2+b^2=30^2 B= 25.38?

7. ZeHanz

No, a and b are the rectangular sides. In triangle ACB these are 16 and 30, so c²=16²+30²=256+900=1156, so c=34.

8. ZeHanz

So AB=34.

9. marcoduuuh

Now what do I do to find CD?

10. marcoduuuh

@ZeHanz

11. ZeHanz

ACB and ABD are similar, because they both have a right angle, and they have angle A in common. Similar triangles have proportional sides, which means:$\frac{ AC }{ AB }=\frac{ AB }{ AD }$ (read as: one side in first triangle : same side in other one= same number. Because in the above equation, you know 3 out of four lengths, you can calculate the fourth (AD). Once AD is known, you get CD = AD-16.