SOLUTION: The length of the base of an isosceles triangle is 16. What is the range of possible lengths for each leg? Explain.

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Question 1003084: The length of the base of an isosceles triangle is 16. What is the range of possible lengths for each leg? Explain.
Answer by josgarithmetic(39620) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Use the Triangle Inequality Theorem. Sum of any two sides of a triangle must be greater than the length of the other side.

Your triangle has side lengths of x, x, and 16.
system%282x%3E16%2Cx%2B16%3Ex%29

This becomes simply highlight%28x%3E8%29.
The length of each congruent side must be larger than 8 units.


HOW DID I GET x>8 ?
Look at the system of inequalities! Solve for x. Only the first inequality listed will give meaningful information. SOLVE IT!! The second inequality will be true but tells nothing about x.