SOLUTION: Li went for a mountain-bike ride in a relatively flat wooded area. She rode for 5 km in one direction and then turned and pedaled 17 km in another. Finally she turned in the direct

Question 466108: Li went for a mountain-bike ride in a relatively flat wooded area. She rode for 5 km in one direction and then turned and pedaled 17 km in another. Finally she turned in the direction of her starting point and rode 8 km. When she stopped, was it possible that Li was back at her starting point? Explain.
Answer by richard1234(7193) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
No. If this was possible, a triangle would be formed, however its sides would be 5 km, 17 km, 8 km. This is impossible, since it violates the triangle inequality (5 + 8 < 17).
RELATED QUESTIONS
Li went for a mountain-bike ride in a relatively-flat wooded area. she rode for 5 km in... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

Mary went for a mountain bike ride in a relatively flat wooded area. She rode for 6 km... (answered by greenestamps)

Maria is training for a triathlon. Yesterday, she rode her bike for eight and two-thirds... (answered by stanbon)

1.) Andre rode in a bike trek from his home due north for 10 miles and then due east for... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

She rode a bike for 5 miles then she walked for another 2 miles. she can ride her bike... (answered by richwmiller)

You ride your bike x miles per hour up a mountain for 45 minutes. On the way down the... (answered by josgarithmetic)

starting from his office stephen rode his bike 5 kms in the south direction then he took (answered by ikleyn)

Russell rode his bicycle for a local bike-a-thon. The bike-a-thon started at 9:00 A.M.... (answered by AnlytcPhil)

Fred rode his bike up a mountain at 12 km/h and then back down at 48km/h. If he made the... (answered by josmiceli,MathTherapy)