Solving for the Sides of a Triangle with Given Perimeter and Side Relationships

[davie08]

Homework Statement

The perimeter of a triangle is 14 meters. One of the sides is one meter less than twice the shortest side. If the remaining side is 3 meters longer than the shortest side, what are the lengths of the sides of the triangle?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

I have no idea where to start, thanks for all the help and patience everyone lol.

 

[ArcanaNoir]

okay, let there be two sides x and y, and one side "s" for shortest.

how can you use these variables to write an expression for the perimeter?

"One of the sides is one meter less than twice the shortest side. "

This means 2s=x+1 (I chose x arbitrarily, it could have been y)

"the remaining side is 3 meters longer than the shortest side"

Can you write this equation?

 

[davie08]

no I am too stupid this is so overwhelming i forgot how hard math was after not doing it for 3 years i won't understand this question so I'll just move on lol. This is for a math readiness course and we've tried to cover about half of the math you learn in high school over a week it's impossible for anyone to handle this unless you just finished it.

 

[ArcanaNoir]

Nonsense. You can do this.
The perimeter is the sum of all sides, so x+y+s=14
x=2s-1 so now Put 2s-1 in for x so (2s-1)+y+s=14
The remaining side is 3 meters longer than s so if y was 5 s would be 2, and 5-3=2 (those were just example numbers, but it shows how to write: y-3=s)
So y=s+3
So (2s-1)+(s+3)+s=14
4s=12
s=3
Now since y=s+3, y=6
and since x=2s-1, x=5
now double check, 6+5+3 does equal 14, so those are your sides.