Question:
The perimeter of a triangular field is 240 dm. If two of its sides are 78 dm and 50 dm, find the length of the perpendicular on the side of length 50 dm from the opposite vertex.
Solution:
Given,
In a triangle ABC, a = 78 dm = AB, b = 50 dm = BC
Now, Perimeter = 240 dm
Then, AB + BC + AC = 240 dm
78 + 50 + AC = 240
AC = 240 - (78 + 50)
AC = 112 dm = c
Now, 2s = a + b + c
2s = 78 + 50 + 112
s = 120 dm
Area of a triangle $\mathrm{ABC}=\sqrt{s \times(s-a) \times(s-b) \times(s-c)}$
$=\sqrt{120 \times(120-78) \times(120-50) \times(120-112)}$
$=1680 \mathrm{dm}^{2}$
Let AD be a perpendicular on BC
Area of the triangle ABC = 1/2 × AD × BC
$1 / 2 \times \mathrm{AD} \times \mathrm{BC}=1680 \mathrm{dm}^{2}$
AD = 67.2 dm