document.write( "Question 258829: Describe the possible lengths of the third side of the triangle given the lengths of the other two sides 4 inches, 7 inches \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #190531 by Fombitz(32388) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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Imagine the two lengths like hands on a clock.
\n" ); document.write( "Since they're a triangle they cannot exactly line up to form a triangle.
\n" ); document.write( "If they were almost on top of each other, like the clock at 12:01, the final leg would be of length,
\n" ); document.write( " $\"L=7-4=3\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Now imagine they are 180 degrees apart like at 6:00.
\n" ); document.write( "At that point, the final leg would have to be
\n" ); document.write( " $\"L=7%2B4=11\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Since they cannot be either of those two values, the value can be any number in between them.
\n" ); document.write( " $\"3%3CL%3C11\"$
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