Question

A flower bed is in the shape of a triangle with one side twice the length of the shortest​ side, and the third side is 18 feet more than the length of the shortest side. Find the dimensions if the perimeter is 174 feet.

Answer 1

Answer: The dimensions of the flower bed are,

39 ft, 57 ft and 78 ft.

Step-by-step explanation: Of the three sides, one side is twice the length of the shortest. Let the shortest side be labelled as b. That means one of the sides of the flower bed measures twice b, that is, 2b.

Also we are told that the third side measures 18 feet more than the shortest side, b. The third side can now be represented by b + 18.

So the triangle has sides

b, 2b and b + 18

If the perimeter is 174, then

b + 2b + (b + 18) = 174

b + 2b + b + 18 = 174

4b + 18 = 174

Subtract 18 from both sides of the equation

4b = 156

Divide both sides of the equation by 4

b = 39.

Therefore the shortest side of the triangle measures 39 ft while the other two sides measure 78 ft (twice the length of b) and 57 ft (18 ft more than the shortest side)