SOLUTION: In an isosceles triangle, the length of each of the equal sides is 6m less than three times the 3rd side. Find the dimensions of the triangle if the perimeter is 37m

Question 669080: In an isosceles triangle, the length of each of the equal sides is 6m less than three times the 3rd side. Find the dimensions of the triangle if the perimeter is 37m
Answer by Theo(13342) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
you have an isosceles triangle.
the perimeter is 37 meters.
the length of each of the equal sides of the triangle is equal to 6 meters less than three times the third side.
let x - the length of the third side.
this means the length of each of the equal sides is 3x - 6
since the perimeter of the triangle is 37 meters, your formula is:
first equal side plus second equal side plus third side equals 37
this becomes:
(3x - 6) + (3x - 6) + x = 37
simplify this to get:
3x - 6 + 3x - 6 + x = 37
combine like terms to get:
7x - 12 = 37
add 12 to both sides to get:
7x = 49
divide both sides by 7 to get:
x = 7
that's the length of the third side.
each of the equal sides is equal to 3 times 7 - 6 which makes each of them equal to 21 - 6 which is equal to 15.
the length of each of the equal sides is 15.
the length of the third side is equal to 7
15 + 15 + 7 = 37 so that checks out.
15 is equal to 3 * 7 - 6 so that checks out as well.

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