Word Question

Question

One side of triangle is one-fourth the longest side. The third side is 8 feet less than the longest side. The perimeter is 145.Find all three sides.

Answer 1

Let L be the length of the longest side.

Then another side is L/4 and the remaining side must be L-8.

Perimeter = 145 = L + L/4 + L-8

2.25L - 8 = 145

Therefore L = 68

Sides are 68, 17 and 60.  There really CAN be such a triangle (because the sum of the lengths of the shorter two sides > third side).