Question

What is the maximum possible area of a triangle with a side of length 7 units and another side of length 8 units?

• A. $24$ sq. units
• B. $28$ sq. units
• C. $30$ sq. units
• D. $27$ sq. units

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

$28$ sq. units

A triangle with two given sides has maximum area if these two sides are placed at right angles to each other. For this triangle, one of the given sides can be considered the base, and the other side can be considered the height (because they meet at a right angle).

Thus, plug these sides into 11 the formula $A=\frac{1}{2}bh:A=\frac{1}{2}\left(7\right)\left(8\right)=28$.