Question 704405: given the three side lengths of triangle ABC which are 13-x, 6+x, and 15 what are all the possible vaules of X?
Answer by Edwin McCravy(20081) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
If the three sides of a triangle are a,b, and c, then
the triangular inequality states:
a + b > c
a + c > b
b + c > a
Here we have
Side a = 13-x,
Side b = 6+x,
Side c = 15
The sum of each pair of sides is greater than the third side, so there
are three possibilities
a + b > c
(13-x)+(6+x) > 15
13-x+6+x > 15
19 > 15
That would be true regardless of what x is, so any
restrictions on x will comes from the other two
-----------------------------------
a + c > b
(13-x)+15 > 6+x
13-x+15 > 6+x
28-x > 6+x
-2x > -22
x < 11 (the inequality reverses when dividing by a negative)
So that's one restriction on x
-----------------------------------
b + c > a
(6+x)+15 > 13-x
6+x+15 > 13-x
21+x > 13-x
2x > -8
x > -4
That's another restriction on x
----------------------------------
Put those restrictions toget0her
x < 11 and x > -4
Turn x > -4 around as -4 < x since it is equivalent
and we can then write that as a continued inequality
with x in the middle:
-4 < x < 11
Edwin
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