SOLUTION: An isosceles triangle has two equal sides of equal length. The length of one of the equal sides is two more than 3 times the length of the third side. If the perimeter is 46 m, fin

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Question 645132: An isosceles triangle has two equal sides of equal length. The length of one of the equal sides is two more than 3 times the length of the third side. If the perimeter is 46 m, find the length of each side.
Answer by Edwin McCravy(20060) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
An isosceles triangle has two equal sides of equal length. The length of one of the equal sides is two more than 3 times the length of the third side. If the perimeter is 46 m, find the length of each side.
Length of the unequal side = x
Length of the first equal side = 3x+2 
Length of the second equal side = 3x+2

Perimeter = %28matrix%285%2C1%2C%0D%0A%0D%0Alength%2Cof%2Cthe%2Cunequal%2Cside%29%29 + %28matrix%286%2C1%2C%0D%0A%0D%0Alength%2Cof%2Cthe%2Cfirst%2Cequal%2Cside%29%29 + %28matrix%286%2C1%2C%0D%0A%0D%0Alength%2Cof%2Cthe%2Csecond%2Cequal%2Cside%29%29

       46 = x + (3x+2) + (3x+2)

Solve that equation and get x=6 for the unequal side and
3x+2 = 3(6)+2 = 18+2 = 20

So the sides are 6m,20m,20m.

Checking: Those add to 46 and 20 is 2 more than 3×6 m, or 18m.

Edwin