Question

Express the perimeter of the triangle as a polynomial.

Answer 1

The perimeter is just the sum of all of the side lengths.

p=3x+4+x-10+5x-2

p=9x-8

Answer 2

Add up the lengths of the 3 sides.  Starting with x terms, we get 3x + 4 + x - 10 + 5x - 2.  The x terms combined result in 9x and the constants combined result in -8.  The perimeter is thus 9x - 8 units.