document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1180394>Question 1180394</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The perimeter of a triangle is 30 inches. The length of the shortest side is 1/3 the length of the hypotenuse, and 0.5 times the length of the remaining side. What is the length of the shortest side? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #810043 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13203)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=greenestamps><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=810043\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The given information tells us that the lengths of the three sides are x, 2x, and 3x.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "But three sides of lengths x, 2x, and 3x do not form a triangle, because the length of the longest side is only equal to the sum of the lengths of the other two sides.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Since the sum of the lengths of the two shorter sides is exactly equal to the length of the longest side, you have a degenerate triangle.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The perimeter of the triangle is supposed to be 30 inches.  With side lengths x, 2x, and 3x, the lengths of the sides of the triangle are 5, 10, and 15 inches.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "So you could say the triangle is a degenerate triangle with shortest side of length 5 inches.<br><BR>\n" );
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