Pretest: The Real Number System

Type the correct answer in the box. Use numerals instead of words. If necessary, use / for the fraction bar.

Keaton drew an equilateral triangle on the computer. If the perimeter of the triangle is 29.4 centimeters, the length of a side of the triangle is ___ centimeters.



Answer :

To determine the length of a side of an equilateral triangle given its perimeter, follow these steps:

1. Understand the Properties of an Equilateral Triangle:
- An equilateral triangle has all three sides of equal length.

2. Identify the Given Information:
- Perimeter of the equilateral triangle is 29.4 centimeters.

3. Relate the Perimeter to Side Length:
- The perimeter of an equilateral triangle is the sum of the lengths of its three equal sides.
- Therefore, let each side of the equilateral triangle be of length \( s \) centimeters.
- The perimeter \( P \) of an equilateral triangle can be expressed as:
[tex]\[ P = 3s \][/tex]

4. Set Up the Equation:
- Given \( P = 29.4 \):
[tex]\[ 29.4 = 3s \][/tex]

5. Solve for the Side Length \( s \):
- Isolate \( s \) by dividing both sides of the equation by 3:
[tex]\[ s = \frac{29.4}{3} \][/tex]
- Calculate the value:
[tex]\[ s = 9.8 \][/tex]

6. Conclusion:
- The length of a side of the equilateral triangle is \( 9.8 \) centimeters.

So, the length of each side of the triangle is 9.8 centimeters.