SOLUTION: I need help for my final exam!!! The sides of a triangle are in the ratio of 8:10:12. If the perimeter is 75,what is the length of the shortest side? A. 15 feet B. 20 fee

Algebra ->  Percentage-and-ratio-word-problems -> SOLUTION: I need help for my final exam!!! The sides of a triangle are in the ratio of 8:10:12. If the perimeter is 75,what is the length of the shortest side? A. 15 feet B. 20 fee      Log On


   

Question 24023: I need help for my final exam!!!
The sides of a triangle are in the ratio of 8:10:12. If the perimeter is 75,what is the length of the shortest side?
A. 15 feet
B. 20 feet
C. 25 feet
D. 30 feet
This would mean a lot!! thanks!!!
Answer by PeterC(8) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The ratio of the shortest side to the perimeter is 8+%3A+8%2B10%2B12+=+8+%3A+30. If x is the length of that side, then
x+%2F+75+=+8+%2F+30
Multiplying both sides by 75, we have
x+=+75%28x%2F75%29+=+%2875%29%288%2F30%29+=+20
Another way to look at it is to imagine a similar triangle with a perimeter of 30. The length of the shortest side is 8. If we blew it up (this is called scaling up) until the perimeter is 75, we would be multiplying all distances by a factor of 2.5, so the shortest side is:
2.5+%2A+8+=+20