SOLUTION: i'm doing a SAT practice test and i found a very simple question that I thought the answer could be easily either one... QUESTION: A certain triangle has two angles of equal mea

Algebra ->  Triangles -> SOLUTION: i'm doing a SAT practice test and i found a very simple question that I thought the answer could be easily either one... QUESTION: A certain triangle has two angles of equal mea      Log On


   



Question 825897: i'm doing a SAT practice test and i found a very simple question that I thought the answer could be easily either one...
QUESTION: A certain triangle has two angles of equal measure. If the length of one side is 24 and another side is 50, what is the length of the third side?
The answer given: 50
I figured from the problem that if two angles are equal, then the side opposite of those angles are equal too. But I was stuck from there because it doesn't give any angle measurements, which I'm assuming isn't needed.
So before figuring that out, i was formulating in my head that if i get at least two angle measurements and double whichever of them would add up to 180. So then, if the larger angle measure is doubled then I figured the answer would be the bigger side (50), and vice-versa.
Anyway...can you please show me how this problem is done?

Found 2 solutions by richwmiller, LinnW:
Answer by richwmiller(17219) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
since two angles are equal then two sides are equal. So the third side must ether be 24 or 50
there is a rule which says that the sum of any two sides of triangle must be greater than the third side.
24+24=48 which is less than 50 so the third side can't be 24
so the third side must be 50

Answer by LinnW(1048) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
With two equal angles, we have two equal length sides.
This means that the side lengths must be 50 50 and 24 or
24 24 and 50. The second scenario cannot work since 24+24 is less than 50.
So the triangle must have side lengths 50 50 and 24.