# SAT Geometry Questions

• October 8th 2010, 03:33 PM
bballkydd24
SAT Geometry Questions
Hi I am really stuck on these SAT geometry problems which is my weakest topic and kills me every time. Anyways I do not know how to solve this problem, please show how to attack step by step:

1. If Jack's house is 7.1 miles due north of Senior Center and Belinda's house is 6.3 miles due west, to nearest tenth, what is shortest distance between houses?
Would Pythagorean theorem be involved?

2. If the area of triangle T, with sides 5, 12, and 13, equals the area of rectangle R, width 8, what is perimeter of rectangle R?

I am stuck on this also. Would the area of the triangle by 1/2 (5) (12)?

• October 8th 2010, 03:42 PM
skeeter
Quote:

Originally Posted by bballkydd24
Hi I am really stuck on these SAT geometry problems which is my weakest topic and kills me every time. Anyways I do not know how to solve this problem, please show how to attack step by step:

1. If Jack's house is 7.1 miles due north of Senior Center and Belinda's house is 6.3 miles due west, to nearest tenth, what is shortest distance between houses?
Would Pythagorean theorem be involved?

yes

2. If the area of triangle T, with sides 5, 12, and 13, equals the area of rectangle R, width 8, what is perimeter of rectangle R?

I am stuck on this also. Would the area of the triangle by 1/2 (5) (12)?

yes

...
• October 8th 2010, 06:19 PM
bballkydd24
Still Stuck
Can someone please show how to solve the pythagorean theorem problem. Thanks. I am really stuck.
• October 8th 2010, 07:51 PM
PythagorasNeophyte
1.
Let's say you are in the centre of a compass. Up north will be 7.1 miles to Senior Centre. West will be 6.3 miles to the house.

This will make a right angle. The shortest distance between the Senior Centre and the house is undoubtedly the length that will join the point of the house to the point of the Senior Centre.

So Pythagoras' Theorem is involved.
The hypotenuse for this will be 7.1 miles.
You will let the shortest distance be x.
The formula is given $a^2 = b^2 + c^2$.

$(7.1)^2 = (6.3)^2 + x^2$
$
50.41 = 39.69 + x^2$

Solve this and you will get the answer.
• October 9th 2010, 05:53 AM
skeeter
Quote:

Originally Posted by bballkydd24
Can someone please show how to solve the pythagorean theorem problem. Thanks. I am really stuck.

triangle area = 30

you were given the rectangle width = 8 ... rectangle area = triangle area ... 8L = 30

solve for L, then find the perimeter ... P = 2(L + W)