One side of a triangle is 3 cm shorter than a second side. The remaining side is 5 cm longer than the second side. The perimeter is 38 cm. Find the length of each side.

Answer 1

x=y-3

z=y+5

x+y+z=38

Substitute

y-3+y+y+5=38

3y=36

You finish it from here.

Answer 2

Three sides to a triangle

"The second side"= x

"One side" = x-3 (Three centimeters shorter than the second side)

"The remaining side= x+5 (Five centimeters longer than the second side)

Perimeter is all of the sides added together for any object

x+x-3+x+5=38

combine like terms

3x+2=38

Get the x by itself by doing the opposite function on the other side of the equal sign

3x=38-2

3x=36

x=36/3

x=12

"Second side" = 12

"One side" = 12-3 = 9

"The remaining side" = 12+5 = 17

So the three sides are 12, 9, and 17

To check 12+9+17=38