Use the tangent ratio to calculate the opposite side of 34^(∘).
≈ 97.5 mm^2
Practice makes perfect
To determine the triangle's area, we need to find its base and height. In a right triangle, these dimensions are represented by its two legs. One of them, we already know. The other one, which we can label x, can be found by using the tangent ratio.
tan θ=opposite/adjacent
Let's identify the opposite and adjacent leg to the 34^(∘) angle in our diagram.
When we know the length of the second leg, we can calculate the area of the triangle. Note that we will use the exact value of x to avoid rounding twice.
A=1/2( 17tan34^(∘))( 17)≈ 97.5 mm^2
