Question 118665: How many non-congruent triangles, each with a perimeter of 15 units, can be constructed with all integral side lengths?
Answer by Edwin McCravy(20056) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! How many non-congruent triangles, each with a perimeter of 15 units, can be constructed with all integral side lengths?
We have to find all choices of positive
integers x, y, and z such that
x + y + z = 15
x + y + z = 15
x + y > z
x + z > y
y + z > x
From
x + y + z = 15
x + y = 15 - z
and since x + y > z,
15 - z > z
15 > 2z
7.5 > z
From
x + y + z = 15
x + z = 15 - y
and since x + z > y,
15 - y > y
15 > 2y
7.5 > y
From
x + y + z = 15
y + z = 15 - x
and since y + z > x,
15 - x > x
15 > 2x
7.5 > x
So all the sides are 7 or less
And since to make sure they are non-congruent,
we'll require that x < y < z, so
x = 1 y = 7 z = 7
x = 2 y = 6 z = 7
x = 3 y = 5 z = 7
x = 3 y = 6 z = 6
x = 4 y = 4 z = 7
x = 4 y = 5 z = 6
x = 5 y = 5 z = 5
So there are 7.
Edwin
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