A triangle has sides with lengths: 14, 9, and 2. How do you find the area of the triangle using Heron's formula?

1 Answer
Jan 20, 2016

This triangle is impossible to make.

Explanation:

Any triangle has a property that the sum of its any two sides is always greater than or equal to the third side.

Here let #a,b,c# denote the sides with #a=14#, #b=9# and #c=2#.

I will now find the sum of any two sides and will check that is the property satisfied.

#a+b=14+9=23#

This is greater than #c# which is the third side.

#a+c=14+2=16#

This is also greater than #b# which is the third side.

#b+c=9+2=11#

This is less than #a# which is the third side.

So the property for the given lengths is not satisfied therefore the given triangle can not be formed.