TRIANGULAR PROBLEM

Question

Joe is designing a triangular garden in a corner of his backyard. The smallest side of the garden is 1/2 of the length of the longest side. The middle side is 1 foot shorter than the longest side. If he will need 39 feet of fencing to surround the garden, find the measure of the shortest side

Answer 1

x=longest side

x-1=middle side

(1/2)x=smallest side

x+x-1+(1/2)x=39

(2 1/2)x-1=39

(2 1/2)x=40

2.5x=40

25x=400

x=400/25

x=16 feet

x-1=15 feet

(1/2)x=8 feet (shortest side)