document.write( "Question 239329: The length of each side of an isosceles triangle is a prime number. The perimeter of the triangle is greater than 21 units and is not a prime number. What is the least possible perimeter of the triangle? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #175728 by Theo(13342)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! The perimeter of an isosceles triangle is equal to 2*s + b where s equals one of the equal sides of the triangle and b equals the base.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "If the base is equal to one of the sides, then you have an equilateral triangle.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The perimeter of this triangle has to be greater than 21 units and is not a prime number.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Possible perimeters are therefore:\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,...\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The length of each side of the triangle has to be a prime number. \r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "I presume this includes the base of the triangle as well as the 2 equal sides.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Since 7*3 = 21, one of the sides of this triangle has to be greater than 7 at least.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "We'll start with the next highest prime number which is 11.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "If 11 is the base of the triangle, then the smallest side could be 7 which would make the total perimeter equal to 14 + 11 = 25.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "25 is not a prime.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "25 looks good.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "If 11 was a side of the triangle, then the perimeter of the triangle could be 22 + 2 = 24\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "24 is not a prime.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "24 looks good.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "None of the other combinations produce a perimeter less than 24.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "23 would be no good because it's a prime number.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The smallest possible perimeter that meets the requirements is 22 but no combinations I was able to find yielded a total of 22.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "I'd go with 24 which is a combination of 2 times 11 plus 2.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |