78.7k views
2 votes
How many triangles can be constructed with sides measuring 15 cm, 7 cm, and 5 cm?

2 Answers

4 votes

Answer:

none

Explanation:

User Hyunjoo
by
7.3k points
3 votes

Answer:

  • none if all sides are different lengths
  • 7 if 2 or 3 sides can be the same length

Explanation:

If the side lengths are all different, none.

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The following 7 combinations will form triangles:

(5, 5, 5), (5, 5, 7), (5, 7, 7), (5, 15, 15)

(7, 7, 7), (7, 15, 15)

(15, 15, 15)

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Additional comment

The triangle inequality requires the sum of the two shortest lengths exceed the longest. Here, we have 5+7=12<15, so a triangle with all three lengths cannot be formed. We also note that 5+5=10<15, and 7+7=14<15, so isosceles triangles with only one side equal to 15 cannot be formed, either.

User Pieter Jongsma
by
6.7k points
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