# Math Help - Help me with this problem please

1. ## Help me with this problem please

An isosceles triangle is a triangle with two sides having the same measurement and one side having a different measurement. The longest side of an isosceles triangle is 17 cm less than twice as long as the other sides. The perimeter of the triangle is 95 cm. Find the lengths of the three sides and list them in ascending order.
_________ cm, _______ cm, _______ cm

2. ## Re: Help me with this problem please

Hey Rosestar.

In an isosceles triangle, two sides are the same. The perimeter of the sides is the sum of all the lengths of the sides. If x, y, and z are the lengths of the sides then x = y (since two sides have to be the same) and x + y + z = 2x + z = p where p is the perimeter.

So you have one side is 17cm less than twice the length of the other so this means s = 2*t - 17 algebraically. In an isosceles triangle, you have two sides that are the same so t = x and s = z, but we know that 2x + z = p = 95cm.

So given this information, can you re-arrange to solve for either x or z first and then plug this in to get the other value so you get three sides (remember: x,y,z are the lengths of the sides but x = y since we have an isosceles triangle)?