12. Building codes regulate the steepness of stairs. Homes must have steps that are at least 13 inches wide for each 8 inches that they rise.
a. Discuss how to find the slope of the stairs.
b. Describe how changing the width or height affects the steepness of the stairs.

answer: yes, since the line has a steeper rate of change than the exponential the y-values will be greater and they will only intersect one time.

tell you what. i'll find the length of the medians and you can fill in the blanks where they belong.

br

b = (2a,0)

r = (a/2,b/2) remember these things are medians. they go to the 1/2 way point of the line opposite the vertex they face.

br^2 =   (2a - a/2)^2 + (0 - b/2)^2

br^2 = (3/2 a) ^2 + b^2 / 4

br^2 = 9/4 a^2 + b^2 / 4   we need to find some relationship between a and b.

let's try ab = bc  

ab = 2a

bc = (2a - a)^2 + (b - 0)^2

bc = sqrt(a^2 + b^2)

ab = bc

2a = sqrt(a^2 + b^2) square both sides.

4a^2 = a^2 + b^2 subtract a^2 from both sides.

sqrt(3a^2) = sqrt(b^2)

sqrt(3)a = b

let's put b into br^2

br^2 = 9/4 a^2 + 3b^2 / 4

br^2 = 12 a^2 / 4

br^2 = 3a^2 

br = sqrt(3) * a

cp

c = (a,b) ; p = (a,0) this is another application of the distance formula, and it is a good one.

cp^2 = (a - a)^2 + (b - 0)^2

cp^2 = 0 + b^2

cp^2 = b^2 which you can see from the diagram. 

cp = sqrt(b^2)

cp = b but b = sqrt(3) * a 

cp = sqrt(3)*a

aq

a = (0,0)

q = (3/2) a, b/2

aq^2 = (3a/2 -0)^2 + (b/2 - 0)^2

aq^2 = 9a^2/4 + b^2/4

but b = sqrt(3) * a 

aq^2 = 9a^2 / 4 + (sqrt(3)*a)^2 /4

aq^2 = 9 a^2/ 4 + 3 a^2 / 4

aq^2 = 12 a^2/4

aq^2 = 3 a^2

aq = (sqrt  3) * a which agrees with the other two.