Question

The measures of three sides of a triangle can be represented by 2x, 3x and -5, and 4x + 2. The perimeter of the triangle is 65 inches.
a) give an equation to represent this situation.
b) solve for x
c) What are the three lengths of a triangle?

Answer 1

The sides are 2x, 3x-5 and 4x+2
perimiter is the sum of the sides

a.
2x+3x-5+4x+2=63 is an equation

b.
solve
group like terms
2x+3x+4x-5+2=65
add like terms
9x-3=65
add 3 to both sides
9x=68
divide both sides by 9
x=68/9


2x=2(68/9)=136/9 in
3x-5=3(68/9)-5=(68/3)-5=(68/3)-(15/3)=53/3
4x+2=4(68/9)+2=272/9+2=272/9+18/2=290/9

the side lengths are 136/9in, 53/3in, and 290/9in