SOLUTION: please help me solve this problem: The perimeter of a triangle is 51 inches. side A is one inche greater than side C. Side B is twice as long as side A. Find the longest side.

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Question 220428: please help me solve this problem:
The perimeter of a triangle is 51 inches. side A is one inche greater than side C. Side B is twice as long as side A. Find the longest side.

Answer by LtAurora(115) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
First, lets write all the lengths in terms of side A, since the relations all go back to it.
So, Side C:
A=C%2B1
A-1=C
Side B:
2A=B
Side A:
A=A
So, we knew that A%2BB%2BC=51. However, know we have what C and B are, so we can rewrite:
A%2B2A%2BA-1=51
Move the 1 to the other side and combine the A terms:
4A=52
Divide both sides by 4
A=13.
Substituting back in for C & B give us:
B=26, C=12.
The longest side is then B=26.