As you may remember from high school, A = 
bh, where b is the base and h is the height. If you are having trouble remembering this, simply remember that a rectangle has an area of 
, and that a triangle is half a rectangle.
Practice Question: Using the Area Formula
A ladder is placed so as to reach a window 63 cm high. The ladder is then turned over to the opposite side of the street and is found to reach a point 56 cm high. If the ladder is 65 cm long, then the width of the street is:
(a) 59 cm
(b) 39 cm
(c) 49 cm
(d) 29 cm
(e) None of these
Answer and Explanation
