Question

Herman is making a small triangular table. If two of the sides will measure about 25 inches each, how many inches should the longest side (c) measure? Use the appropriate formula and round your answer to the nearest tenth.

I don't know how to do this cuz it doesn't tell me if it's a right triangle or not. HELP!

Answer 1

would the long side be 36 in?

Answer 2

I think they are after the property that in
any triangle, the sum of any two sides must be greater than the third side, or else you cannot produce the triangle.
e.g. I cannot draw a triangle with sides 3,4, and 9

So the third side must be < 50

What was the "appropriate formula" they are talking about?

Answer 3

I think we have to assume it's either a right or equilateral triangle.

Using the Pythagorean Theorem, I get 35.3553 = 35.6 inches.

Answer 4

Correction: 35.4 inches