Area of a Triangle

Geometry Level 2

What is the area of a triangle with side lengths 13-14-15?


The answer is 84.

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17 solutions

Yi Hao Chan
May 20, 2014

From Heron's Formula, we have Area of triangle = \sqrt{(s)(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)}

Where s = (a + b + c)/2 (i.e. semiperimeter) a, b, c are the sides of the triangle (13,14,15 respectively)

Subbing in the values would thus lead to the answer, 84. (can be done without a calculator by prime factorisation)

Apurv Goel
May 20, 2014

area of triangle = ( a b sin x ) / 2 = (ab \sin x)/2 where x x is the angle between sides a a and b b , This follows from seeing that with a base of a a , the corresponding height will be b sin x b \sin x . Now from cosine rule, cos x = a 2 + b 2 c 2 2 a b \cos x = \frac {a^2 + b^2 - c^2}{2ab} , where c c is the third side, Now taking a , b , c a, b, c as 14, 15, 13 respectively, cos x = 3 / 5 \cos x = 3/5 therefore, sin x = 4 / 5 \sin x = 4/5 so area = ( a b sin x ) / 2 = ( 14 15 4 / 5 ) / 2 = 84 = (ab \sin x)/2 = (14*15*4/5)/2 = 84 .

There are numerous ways to approach this question. Most solutions invoked Heron's formula, since all the side lengths are given.

Students who do not know Heron's formula, but are familiar with sine and cosine rule, can use the approach shown by Apruv.

Students who haven't learnt trigonometry, can approach this problem by gluing 2 right triangles 5 12 13 5-12-13 and 9 12 15 9-12-15 along the common side 12, to obtain the triangle 14 13 15 14-13-15 . The height could also be solved via a quadratic equation.

Calvin Lin Staff - 7 years ago
Tyler Zhu
May 20, 2014

You can use Heron's Formula to find the area of this triangle. First, find the semi-perimeter of the triangle which is (13+14+15)/2=21. Next, you plug in the values into Heron's Formula: Recap of Heron's Formula. s=semi-perimeter, a,b,c=sides of the triangle:
sqrt[s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)]. So now you have sqrt[21(21-13)(21-14)(21-15)]=sqrt[21(8)(7)(6)]=84

Jaison J
May 20, 2014

s=a+b+c=42 area of triangle=root of s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c) =42(29)28)(27) by taking away square root =3 7 3*2 =84

Dharmik Panchal
May 20, 2014

To find the area of a scalene triangle when the length of all its three sides are given Heron’s formula is used \sqrt{s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)} Where s is the Semi perimeter of the triangle that is s=\frac {a+b+c}{2} a,b and c are sides of the triangle .In this case the value of a,b and c is 13,14 and 15 respectively. Now we will find s first s=\frac {13+14+15}{2} s=\frac {42}{2} s=21 Now putting these values in Heron's formula \sqrt{21(21-13)(21-14)(21-15)} \sqrt{21(8)(7)(6)} \sqrt{7056} 84 So the area of the triangle is 84

Jake Gacuan
May 20, 2014

Solution 1

Label the triangle as A B C ABC with A B = 13 AB = 13 , A C = 14 AC = 14 and B C = 15 BC = 15 . Let A D AD be the height of the triangle from A to BC. Let x = C D x = \overline{CD} . After solving for x x by using the Pythagorean Theorem, the height A D AD can be solved as well. Doing so

A B 2 B D 2 = A C 2 C D 2 \sqrt{\overline{AB}^2 - \overline{BD}^2} = \sqrt{\overline{AC}^2 - \overline{CD}^2} A B 2 B D 2 = A C 2 C D 2 \Rightarrow\overline{AB}^2 - \overline{BD}^2 = \overline{AC}^2 - \overline{CD}^2 1 3 2 ( 15 x ) 2 = 1 4 2 x 2 \Rightarrow13^2 - (15 - x)^2 = 14^2 - x^2 169 225 + 30 x x 2 = 196 x 2 \Rightarrow169 - 225 +30x -x^2 = 196 - x^2 30 x = 225 + 196 169 \Rightarrow30x = 225 + 196 -169 x = C D = 42 5 \Rightarrow x = \overline{CD} = \frac{42}{5}

Hence,

A D = 1 4 2 ( 42 5 ) 2 \overline{AD} = \sqrt{14^2 - (\frac{42}{5})^2} A D = 56 5 \Rightarrow \overline{AD} = \frac{56}{5}

And the area of triangle A B C ABC is

A r e a = 1 2 × 15 × 56 5 Area = \frac{1}{2} \times15 \times \frac{56}{5} A r e a = 84 \Rightarrow Area = 84

Solution 2

Use the Heron's Formula,

A r e a = ( s ) ( s a ) ( s b ) ( s c ) Area = \sqrt{(s)(s - a)(s - b)(s - c)}

where a a , b b and c c are the sides and s s is half of the perimeter. Thus, the area of a 13 14 15 13-14-15 triangle is

s = 1 2 ( 13 + 14 + 15 ) = 21 s = \frac{1}{2}(13 + 14 + 15) = 21 A r e a = ( 21 ) ( 21 13 ) ( 21 14 ) ( 21 15 ) Area = \sqrt{(21)(21 - 13)(21 - 14)(21 - 15)} A r e a = ( 21 ) ( 8 ) ( 7 ) ( 6 ) = 84 \Rightarrow Area = \sqrt{(21)(8)(7)(6)} = 84 .

Russell Kan
May 20, 2014

This question asks for the area of a triangle with side lengths of 13 , 14 , and 15 . Given all three side lengths, one can calculate the area using Heron's Formula , which is s ( s a ) ( s b ) ( s c ) \sqrt{s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)} where s is the semiperimeter ( half the perimeter ), and a, b, and c are the side lengths. To find the semiperimeter, add all side lengths and divide by two: a + b + c 2 \frac {a+b+c}{2} , which when the lengths are plugged in: 13 + 14 + 15 2 \frac {13+14+15}{2} , gives 42 2 \frac {42}{2} = 21 . One can then plug this answer in along with the three side lengths into Heron's formula: 21 ( 21 13 ) ( 21 14 ) ( 21 15 ) \sqrt{21(21-13)(21-14)(21-15)} . Simplifying, each step is: 21 ( 8 ) ( 7 ) ( 6 ) \sqrt{21(8)(7)(6)} , then 7056 \sqrt{7056} , which leaves ± 84 \pm 84 . As a triangle, the area cannot be negative, so the answer is 84 units squared

Harel Dor
May 20, 2014

By the law of cosines, in a triangle with angles A, B, and C and sides a, b, and c opposite their respective angle, c^2=a^2 + b^2 - 2 * a * b * cos(C). Substituting 14 for a, 13 for b, and 15 for c, 15^2=14^2 + 13^2 - 2 * 14 * 13 * cos(C). Arithmetic will then show that cos(C)=0.384615 and C = 67.380135 degrees.

It is also known that in the same triangle ABC as mentioned above, (a * b * sin(C))/2=Area of triangle. Plugging in the values we found earlier, we find that the area of the triangle is 84.

Leroy Zhang
May 20, 2014

Since we are given the three sides of a triangle here, we can use the Heron's formula to determine the area of the triangle.

The Heron's Formula: \sqrt{s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)} with a, b, and c being the respective sides of the triangle and s being the semi perimeter of the triangle: \frac {a+b+c}{2}.

In this case, the semi perimeter is {13+14+15}{2} which comes out to 21.

Now, plugging values into the equation, we get \sqrt{21(21-13)(21-14)(21-15)}, which comes out to 84, the are of the triangle.

Michael Li
May 20, 2014

Recall Heron's formula, in a triangle of side lengths a, b and c, Area= \sqrt{P(P-a)(P-b)(P-c)} where P=\frac {a+b+c}{2}

In the question P=\frac {13+14+15}{2}=21 Area=\sqrt{21(21-13)(21-14)(21-15)}=\sqrt{7056}=84

Bojan Serafimov
May 20, 2014

A r e a = s ( s a ) ( s b ) ( s c ) = 84 Area = \sqrt{s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)} = 84 where s = a + b + c 2 = 14 s = \frac{a+b+c}{2} = 14

Sed Holaysan
May 20, 2014

The area of any triangle can be found by taking the square root of s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c), where semiperimeter s = (a+b+c)/2. Substitution of a,b,c = 13,14,15 in no particular order gives the answer of 84.

Eng Ngee H'ng
May 20, 2014

Heron's formula: Let a, b, c be side lengths of a triangle.

The area of the triangle is (s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c))^(1/2), where s is the semiperimeter of the triangle, s = (a+b+c)/2.

Substitute a = 13, b = 14, c = 15 into Heron's Formula and the answer is 84.

  • Reference (Wikipedia) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heron's_formula
Jonathan Mamplata
May 20, 2014

According to Heron's Formula, the area A A , of a triangle with sides a , b a, b and c c is given by:

A = s ( s a ) ( s b ) ( s c ) A=\sqrt{s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c)} where s s is the semi-perimeter of the triangle which is equal to a + b + c 2 \dfrac{a+b+c}{2} .

So using Heron's Formula with a = 13 , b = 14 , c = 15 a=13, b=14, c=15 :

s = 13 + 14 + 15 2 = 21 s=\dfrac{13+14+15}{2}=21

Hence,

A = 21 ( 21 13 ) ( 21 14 ) ( 21 15 ) = 84 A=\sqrt{21(21-13)(21-14)(21-15)}=84

Alec Cheng
May 20, 2014

Heron's Formula is used to solve for an area of a triangle when we know the value of the sides of the triangle.

It states that, given a triangle with sides x , y x , y and z z , we can get the area by substituting these values into this formula: s × ( s x ) × ( s y ) × ( s z ) \sqrt{s \times (s-x) \times (s-y) \times (s-z)} , where s = x + y + z 2 s = \frac{x + y + z}{2} .

K J
May 20, 2014

A = p ( p a ) ( p b ) ( p c ) A = \sqrt{p(p-a)(p-b)(p-c)} where a , b , c a, b, c are the sides and p = a + b + c 2 p = \frac{a+b+c}{2} . That's all there is to it. A proof can be found in wikipedia and possibly in most geometry textbooks.

Calvin Lin Staff
May 13, 2014

Solution 1: Let triangle A B C ABC have lengths A B = 13 , B C = 14 AB=13, BC=14 and C A = 15 CA=15 . From A A , drop a perpendicular intersecting B C BC at D D . Now consider triangles A B D A'B'D' and A C D A'C'D' , with right angle at D D' and B , C B', C' on opposite sides of A D A'D' . Let B D = 5 , D A = 12 B'D'=5, D'A'=12 and D C = 9 D'C'=9 . By the Pythagorean theorem, A B = 5 2 + 1 2 2 = 13 A'B' = \sqrt{5^2 + 12^2} = 13 and A C = 9 2 + 1 2 2 = 15 A'C' = \sqrt{9^2 + 12^2} = 15 . Since B D A + C D A = 9 0 + 9 0 = 18 0 \angle B'D'A' + \angle C'D'A' = 90^\circ + 90^\circ = 180^\circ , thus B D C B'D'C' is a straight line, and so B C = 5 + 9 = 14 B'C' = 5 + 9 = 14 . Thus, triangles A B C ABC and A B C A'B'C' are congruent by side-side-side, hence they have area 1 2 × 12 × 14 = 84 \frac {1}{2}\times12\times14 = 84 .

Solution 2: By Heron's Formula, the semi-perimeter is 13 + 14 + 15 2 = 21 \frac {13+14+15}{2} = 21 and the area of the triangle is 21 × ( 21 13 ) × ( 21 14 ) × ( 21 15 ) = 21 × 8 × 7 × 6 = 84 \sqrt{21 \times (21-13) \times (21-14) \times (21-15)} = \sqrt{21 \times 8 \times 7 \times 6} = 84 .

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