<PRE><B>Question 542388</B>
&lt;br&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Tahoma&quot;&gt;Let&#39;s use L as the variable for our longest side.&lt;br&gt;

Then our 3 sides should be:&lt;br&gt;

{{{L}}}&lt;br&gt;

{{{L/2}}}&lt;br&gt;

{{{L-2}}}&lt;br&gt;

Then because we have a perimeter of 33 cm, we just need to add the three sides:&lt;br&gt;

{{{L+L/2+(L-2)=33}}}&lt;br&gt;

{{{L+L/2+L-2=33}}}&lt;br&gt;

Let&#39;s multiply both sides of the equation by 2 (each term), to clear the fractions:&lt;br&gt;

{{{2*L+2*L/2+2*L-2*2=66}}}&lt;br&gt;

{{{2L+L+2L-4=66}}}&lt;br&gt;

{{{5L-4=66}}}&lt;br&gt;

{{{5L=70}}}&lt;br&gt;

{{{L=14}}}&lt;br&gt;

Thus, our longest side is 14 cm,&lt;br&gt;

the shortest side is 7 cm,&lt;br&gt;

and the third side is 12 cm.&lt;br&gt;

{{{14+7+12=33}}}&lt;br&gt;

{{{33=33}}} is true, so our answer is correct.&lt;br&gt;

I hope this helps!&lt;br&gt;</PRE>