Final answer:
To find the smallest possible whole number length for the third side of a triangle, subtract the length of the smaller side from the length of the larger side.
Step-by-step explanation:
The third side of a triangle can be found using the triangle inequality theorem, which states that the sum of the lengths of any two sides of a triangle must be greater than the length of the third side. In this case, we have two sides of lengths 9 and 14. To find the smallest possible whole number length for the third side, we subtract the length of the smaller side from the length of the larger side: 14 - 9 = 5.