Respuesta :
Answer:
Only option C: The shortest side can equal 7 cm.
Step-by-step explanation:
Let the length of the shortest side be x cm, then the length of the longest side is 4x cm. Let the length of the middle side be y cm. Note that
[tex]x<y<4x[/tex]
The perimeter is
[tex]x+y+4x=60\\ \\5x+y=60[/tex]
A. The value x cannot be 40 cm, because then y is negative
B. If the longest side is 30 cm long, then
[tex]4x=30\\ \\x=7.5\\ \\y=60-5\cdot 7.5=22.5[/tex]
But
[tex]x+y=7.5+22.5=30\ cm[/tex]
This means that such triangle does not exist
C. If x=7 cm, then 4x=28 cm,
[tex]y=60-5\cdot 7=25\ cm[/tex]
Since,
[tex]7+25=32>28\\ \\7+28=35>25\\ \\25+28=53>7,[/tex]
such triangle exists and this option is possible
D. If x=25 cm, then y is negative
E. If x=5 cm, then 4x=20 cm and
[tex]y=60-5\cdot 5=35\ cm[/tex]
But this triangle does not exist, because [tex]5+20<35[/tex]
The longest side of this scalene triangle with a perimeter of 60 cm can equal 30 cm or the shortest side can equal 7 cm.
Further Explanation
We can use the variables x, y and z to represent the shortest (x), medium (y) and longest (z) sides. The perimeter of a triangle is found by adding together all of the sides; this gives us the equation
x + y + z = 60
We know that the longest side, z, is equal to 4 times the length of the shortest side, x. This means that z = 4x; we can now write our equation as
x + y + 4x = 60
Combining like terms, we have
5x + y = 60
1. Checking all of the possible options, we first determine if x can equal 40:
- 5(40) + y = 60
- 200 + y = 60
This would give us a negative side length, which is impossible.
2. Let the longest side be 30 cm. This means that the shortest side is 1/4 of that; 30÷4 = 7.5. Using 7.5 for x,
- 5(7.5)+y = 60
- 37.5 + y = 60
- 37.5 + y - 37.5 = 60-37.5
- y = 22.5
This is within the range of acceptable side lengths, since it is between the smallest (7.5) and the largest (30).
3. Let the shortest side be 7 cm. This means x = 7:
- 5(7)+y = 60
- 35+y = 60
- 35+y-35 = 60-35
- y = 25
This is between the longest side, 7 cm, and the longest side, 4(7) = 28 cm. This is acceptable.
4. Let the value of x be 25:
- 5(25)+y = 60
- 125+y = 60
This will give us a negative value for the medium side, which is impossible.
5. Let the shortest side be 5 cm. This means x = 5:
- 5(5)+y = 60
- 25+y = 60
- 25+y-25 = 60-25
- y = 35
This means the medium value, 35, would be greater than the longest side, 20; this is incorrect.
This means the correct options are that the longest side can be 30 cm and the shortest side can be 7 cm.
Learn More
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Keywords: perimeter of scalene triangle, finding side lengths of scalene triangles, finding perimeter