If i have a triangle with the measurements of 5ft, 16ft, and 8ft, which ones are the base and height. why are they the base and height?

Base is always the number on the bottom. Height is always the line in the middle of the triangle unless the triangle is a right angle (90 degree triangle) and if it is, the number on the side is the height. Here's a picture of it:

The academic affairs council is the highest expert body processing academic affairs, as stipulated by the university statutes. specialist aaro häkkinen (educational policy) took part in the council’s meeting. the agenda of the meeting included bachelors’ feedback, the timing of pedagogical studies, the grant system for tuition fees, the standardisation of administrative practices for internships and the situation of foreign-language and multilingual master’s programmes.