Find the length of the altitude of an isosceles triangle if one side has a length of 20 ft and a base of 14 ft?

what is sqrt (20^2-7^2)

(20^2-7^2) = 351

sqrt of 351 = 18.7

18.3

To find the length of the altitude of an isosceles triangle, we can use the Pythagorean Theorem. In an isosceles triangle, the altitude from the top vertex bisects the base, creating two congruent right triangles.

Let's label the given side as "a" and the base as "b". In this case, "a" represents the length of the altitude, which we are trying to find, and "b" represents the length of one side of the triangle.

Since the triangle is isosceles, the other side of the triangle is also "b".

Using the Pythagorean Theorem, we can set up the equation:

a^2 + (b/2)^2 = b^2

Plugging in the known values, we get:

a^2 + (14/2)^2 = 20^2

Simplifying further:

a^2 + 7^2 = 400

a^2 + 49 = 400

To solve for "a", we subtract 49 from both sides:

a^2 = 400 - 49

a^2 = 351

Finally, take the square root of both sides to find the value of "a":

a = √351 ft

Therefore, the length of the altitude of the isosceles triangle is approximately 18.72 ft.