Help!

easilyconfuzzeled

New member
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
29
The three sides of an equilateral triangle measure x + 12, 2x - 5 and 3x - 22 inches. The sides of the triangle measure _____ inches.

I don't know how to start these let alone answer it! It would be great if you showed me how to get the answer so that i can figure out how to answer more problems like this!
 
The three sides of an equilateral triangle measure x + 12, 2x - 5 and 3x - 22 inches. The sides of the triangle measure _____ inches.

What do you get when you equate any two of the expressions to one another?
 
easilyconfuzzeled said:
TchrWill said:
What do you get when you equate any two of the expressions to one another?
huh????

Hi easilyconfuzzeled,

TchrWill said to set any two of your sides equal to each other and solve for x. Since it's an equilateral triangle, all sides are equal in length.

x + 12 = 2x - 5

x + 12 = 3x - 22

2x - 5 = 3x - 22

Take your pick.
 
Ok so i use 2x - 5 = 3x - 22....what do i do now?...i failed this part of algebra last year :x this is so frustrating!
 
2x-5=3x-22.

You are looking for x= ??

Two identical blue houses, paint one red, they are no longer the same.
Paint the other red also and they are the same again....

2x-5=3x-22.

More x is on the right, so subtract 2x from both sides to get x on only one side.

2x-2x-5=3x-2x-22.

This is -5=x-22.

Do more painting with 22 by adding 22 to both sides.

22-5=x+22-22

17=x
 
easilyconfuzzeled said:
TchrWill said:
What do you get when you equate any two of the expressions to one another?
huh????

If you cannot see how to solve an equation like

2x - 5 = 3x - 22

then it is probable that you need to ask your teacher for extra help, and find a tutor who can work with you face-to-face to get you caught up on basic algebra.
 
easilyconfuzzeled said:
what do i do now?...i failed this part of algebra last year :x this is so frustrating!

It's not what you do, it's what you understand that matters.

you and I have a bag of oranges.
There are 15 in the bag.
If you take out 7 and i take out 3, how many are now in the bag?

You know the answer is 5, algebra is just writing it down and calculating it using 15 and 10.

10+x=15......subtract 10 from both sides.....10-10+x=15-10.........x=5
15-x=10......add x to both sides.............15+x-x=10+x.....15=10+x......subtract 10 from both sides....5=x

If you failed, ask why?
change what you do and get a better result.
 
Top