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Merry is making an abstract triangular collage for the wall. She has 14 feet of edging to go around the collage. If the longest side is twice the smallest and the other side is four less than three times the smallest, find the length of each side of the triangular collage

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Answer:

The length of each side of the triangular collage:

a = smallest side = 3 feet

b = other side(second side) = 5 feet

c = Longest side = 6 feet

Explanation:

She has 14 feet of edging to go around the collage.

14 feet = Perimeter of the triangle

The Perimeter of a Triangle = a + b + c where

a = smallest side

b = other side(second side)

c = Longest side

From the question, we are told that:

If the longest side is twice the smallest

c = 2a

The other side is four less than three times the smallest,

The other side = b

b = 3 × a - 4

b = 3a - 4

Hence,

P = a + b + c

14 = a + 3a - 4 + 2a

14 = a + 3a + 2a -4

14 = 6a - 4

Collect like terms

14 + 4 = 6a

18 = 6a

a = 18/6

a = 3ft

Therefore the smallest side = 3

The Longest side(c) = 2a

c = 2 × 3

c = 6ft

The other side(b) = 3a - 4

= 3(3) - 4

= 9 - 4

= 5 feet.

Therefore, the length of each side of the triangular collage:

a = smallest side = 3 feet

b = other side(second side) = 5 feet

c = Longest side = 6 feet

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