SOLUTION: Jim's nephew owns a triangular plot of land. The perimeter fence that surrounds the land measures 121 feet. The shortest side is 15 feet longer than one-half of the longest side. T

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Question 196971: Jim's nephew owns a triangular plot of land. The perimeter fence that surrounds the land measures 121 feet. The shortest side is 15 feet longer than one-half of the longest side. The second longest side is 4 feet shorter than the longest side. What is the length of each side?
I don't know where to start to make it into a equation.
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Jim's nephew owns a triangular plot of land. The perimeter fence that surrounds
the land measures 121 feet. The shortest side is 15 feet longer than one-half
of the longest side. The second longest side is 4 feet shorter than the longest side.
What is the length of each side?
:
Name the 3 sides of the triangle as: a, b, c; (c is the shortest)
:
write an equation for each statement:
:
"The perimeter fence that surrounds the land measures 121 feet."
a + b + c = 121
:
"The shortest side is 15 feet longer than one-half of the longest side."
c = .5a + 15
:
" The second longest side is 4 feet shorter than the longest side.
b = a - 4
:
What is the length of each side?
:
Using the perimeter equation, substitute (.5a+15) for c and (a-4) for b:
a + (a-4) + (.5a+15) = 121
a + a .5a - 4 + 15 = 121
2.5a + 11 = 121
2.5a = 121 - 11
a = 110%2F2.5
a = 44 ft is the longest side
:
You can find the length of b & c