Question

An instrument maker creates a triangle in the shape of an isosceles triangle by bending a metal rod. The rod is 13 inches long, and the bottom of the triangle is longer than the two sides. What is the length of the longest side?

Answer 1

Answer: longest side is 5 inches

other two sides will each be 4 inches

Explanation:

Answer 2

The length of the longest side of the isosceles triangle is 13 inches.

To find the length of the longest side of the triangle, we need to first determine the lengths of the other two sides. Since the triangle is an isosceles triangle, the two sides will have the same length.

Let's assume the length of the two equal sides is x. The length of the bottom side, which is longer than the other two sides, can be found using the Pythagorean Theorem:

`x^2 + x^2 = 13^2`

`2x^2 = 169`

`x^2 = 84.5`

x = √84.5

Therefore, the length of each of the two equal sides is approximately √84.5 inches. The length of the longest side, which is the bottom side, is 13 inches.