SOLUTION: One side of a triangle is twice the smallest side. The third side is four feet more than the shortest side. The perimeter is 16 feet. Find the lengths of all three sides (in feet).

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Question 1190057: One side of a triangle is twice the smallest side. The third side is four feet more than the shortest side. The perimeter is 16 feet. Find the lengths of all three sides (in feet). (Enter your answers as a comma-separated list.)
Answer by MathLover1(20850) About Me  (Show Source):
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let sides be a, b, and c
let the smallest side be a
if one side , let say b, of a triangle is twice the smallest side we have
b=2a......eq.1
if the third side is four feet more than the shortest side, we have
c=a%2B4........eq.2
if the perimeter is 16 feet, we have
a%2Bb%2Bc=16.........substitute b and c from eq.1 and eq.2
a%2B2a%2Ba%2B4=16...........solve for a
4a=16-4
4a=12
a=3
go to
b=2a......eq.1...substitute a
b=2%2A3
b=6
go to
c=a%2B4........eq.2...substitute a
c=3%2B4
c=7
the lengths of all three sides (in feet): a=3ft, b=6ft, c=7ft