SOLUTION: One side of a triangle is 5 meters longer than the second side. The third side is four times the length of the second side. If the perimeter of the triangle is 65 meters, how long

Algebra ->  Length-and-distance -> SOLUTION: One side of a triangle is 5 meters longer than the second side. The third side is four times the length of the second side. If the perimeter of the triangle is 65 meters, how long       Log On


   

Question 350682: One side of a triangle is 5 meters longer than the second side. The third side is four times the length of the second side. If the perimeter of the triangle is 65 meters, how long is the second side?
Answer by jjordan95(63) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
So let's make this an algebraic problem instead of a word problem.
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Side 1 will be called R.
Side 2 will be called S.
Side 3 will be called T
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Here is the given information:
R = S+5 <--- I put all of the sides in terms of S, that way we are able to solve for S.
S = S <--- " "
T = 4s <--- " "
R+S+T = 65
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So now we can plug in the numbers to the equation
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%28S%2B5%29+%2B+S+%2B+4S+=+65 <--- Plug sides in terms of S into the equation.
S%2BS%2B4S=60 <--- Subtract 5 from both sides to get all of the S-terms on one side and non-S terms on the other.
6S=60 <--- Combine like-terms.
highlight%28S=10%29 <--- Divide both sides by 6 to isolate S.