document.write( "Question 196971: Jim's nephew owns a triangular plot of land. The perimeter fence that surrounds the land measures 121 feet. The shortest side is 15 feet longer than one-half of the longest side. The second longest side is 4 feet shorter than the longest side. What is the length of each side?
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document.write( "I don't know where to start to make it into a equation. \n" );
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Algebra.Com's Answer #147747 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! Jim's nephew owns a triangular plot of land. The perimeter fence that surrounds \n" ); document.write( " the land measures 121 feet. The shortest side is 15 feet longer than one-half \n" ); document.write( " of the longest side. The second longest side is 4 feet shorter than the longest side. \n" ); document.write( "What is the length of each side? \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Name the 3 sides of the triangle as: a, b, c; (c is the shortest) \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "write an equation for each statement: \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "\"The perimeter fence that surrounds the land measures 121 feet.\" \n" ); document.write( "a + b + c = 121 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "\"The shortest side is 15 feet longer than one-half of the longest side.\" \n" ); document.write( "c = .5a + 15 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "\" The second longest side is 4 feet shorter than the longest side. \n" ); document.write( "b = a - 4 \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( " What is the length of each side? \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "Using the perimeter equation, substitute (.5a+15) for c and (a-4) for b: \n" ); document.write( "a + (a-4) + (.5a+15) = 121 \n" ); document.write( "a + a .5a - 4 + 15 = 121 \n" ); document.write( "2.5a + 11 = 121 \n" ); document.write( "2.5a = 121 - 11 \n" ); document.write( "a = \n" ); document.write( "a = 44 ft is the longest side \n" ); document.write( ": \n" ); document.write( "You can find the length of b & c \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |