Math Problem Statement

A sail on a boat is shaped like a triangle as shown. What is the area of the sail?

Solution

The problem asks for the area of a sail shaped like a triangle. The image provides the following dimensions:

  • The base of the triangle is 4 meters.
  • The height (distance from the base to the top) is 3.7 meters.

The formula for the area of a triangle is:

Area=12×base×height\text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times \text{base} \times \text{height}

Substituting the given values:

Area=12×4m×3.7m=2×3.7=7.4m2\text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times 4 \, \text{m} \times 3.7 \, \text{m} = 2 \times 3.7 = 7.4 \, \text{m}^2

Thus, the area of the sail is 7.4 square meters.

Would you like any further details or explanations?

Here are 5 related questions to explore:

  1. How would the area change if the base were increased by 50%?
  2. Can you calculate the perimeter of this triangular sail?
  3. What if the sail had a different shape, such as a rectangle—how would you calculate its area?
  4. How does the concept of height change for different types of triangles (e.g., isosceles, right)?
  5. How can you apply the area of triangles in real-world engineering problems like sail design?

Tip: Always double-check the units when calculating area or perimeter—mixing up units can lead to incorrect results!

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Geometry
Area of Triangles

Formulas

Area of a Triangle = ½ × base × height

Theorems

Triangle Area Theorem

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 6-8