Answer: hortest side of the triangle is 24 units.
Step-by-step explanation: To solve for the shortest side of a triangle, we first need to simplify the given equation:
s + s + 8 - 18 = 38
Combining like terms, we get:
2s - 10 = 38
Adding 10 to both sides, we get:
2s = 48
Dividing by 2, we get:
s = 24
Therefore, the value of the shortest side of the triangle is 24 units.