ISEE Middle Level Math : How to find the perimeter of a triangle

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ISEE Middle Level Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Triangles

A triangle has sides \(\displaystyle 12\) feet, \(\displaystyle 18\) feet, and \(\displaystyle 20\) feet. Calculate its perimeter.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 50 \;ft\)

\(\displaystyle 360 \;ft\)

\(\displaystyle 100 \;ft\)

\(\displaystyle 240 \;ft\)

\(\displaystyle 25 \;ft\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 50 \;ft\)

Explanation:

The perimeter of any figure is the sum of the lengths of the sides: \(\displaystyle 12 + 18 + 20 = 50 \;ft\).

Example Question #1 : Triangles

A right triangle with hypotenuse 65 has one leg of length 60. What is its perimeter?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 150\)

\(\displaystyle 125\)

\(\displaystyle 185\)

\(\displaystyle 300\)

\(\displaystyle 325\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 150\)

Explanation:

By the Pythagorean Theorem, if \(\displaystyle a\) and \(\displaystyle b\) are the legs of a right triangle and \(\displaystyle c\) is its hypotenuse, then 

\(\displaystyle a^{2} + b^{2} = c^{2}\).

Set \(\displaystyle b = 60, c= 65\) and solve for \(\displaystyle a\):

\(\displaystyle a^{2} + 60^{2} = 65^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle a^{2} + 3,600 = 4,225\)

\(\displaystyle a^{2} + 3,600 -3,600 = 4,225 -3,600\)

\(\displaystyle a^{2} = 625\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{a^{2}} =\sqrt{ 625}\)

\(\displaystyle a = 25\)

The perimeter of the triangle - the sum of the sidelengths - is 

\(\displaystyle P = 25 + 60 + 65 = 150\).

Example Question #1 : Plane Geometry

What is the perimeter of an equilateral triangle with a side length \(\displaystyle 4\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 4\)

\(\displaystyle 16\)

\(\displaystyle 8\)

\(\displaystyle 20\)

\(\displaystyle 12\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 12\)

Explanation:

The perimeter is equal to the sum of the length of the sides. An equilateral triangle has three sides with equal lengths.

\(\displaystyle P=4+4+4=12\)

Example Question #1 : Triangles

Find the perimeter of a triangle with sides \(\displaystyle 8cm\), \(\displaystyle 9cm\), and \(\displaystyle 11cm\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 16cm\)

\(\displaystyle 28cm\)

\(\displaystyle 24cm\)

\(\displaystyle 30cm\)

\(\displaystyle 19cm\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 28cm\)

Explanation:

Perimeter involves adding up all of the sides of the shapes; in this case, it's a triangle. Perimeter equals \(\displaystyle 9+8+11\). Therefore, the answer is \(\displaystyle 28cm\).

Example Question #1 : Geometry

A right triangle has legs \(\displaystyle 9\) feet and \(\displaystyle 12\) feet long. What is its perimeter, in inches?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 432 \textrm{ in}\)

\(\displaystyle 864 \textrm{ in}\)

\(\displaystyle 504 \textrm{ in}\)

\(\displaystyle 216 \textrm{ in}\)

\(\displaystyle 252 \textrm{ in}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 432 \textrm{ in}\)

Explanation:

The length of the hypotenuse of the triangle can be found using the Pythagorean Theorem. Substitute \(\displaystyle a = 9,b= 12\):

\(\displaystyle c = \sqrt{a ^{2} + b^{2} } =\sqrt{9 ^{2} +12^{2} } = \sqrt{81+144} = \sqrt{225} = 15\) feet

Its perimeter is \(\displaystyle P = 9 + 12 + 15 = 36\) feet. Multiply by 12 to get the perimeter in inches:

\(\displaystyle 36 \times 12 = 432\) inches

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Perimeter Of A Triangle

An equilateral triangle has perimeter \(\displaystyle 73.5\) centimeters. How long is one side?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 24.5 \textrm{ cm}\)

\(\displaystyle 14.7 \textrm{ cm} ^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 18.375 \textrm{ cm}\)

\(\displaystyle 29.4 \textrm{ cm}\)

\(\displaystyle 36.75 \textrm{ cm}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 24.5 \textrm{ cm}\)

Explanation:

An equilateral triangle has three sides of equal measure, so divide its perimeter by \(\displaystyle 3\):

\(\displaystyle 73.5 \div 3 =24.5 \textrm{ cm}\)

Example Question #2 : Plane Geometry

Find the perimeter of a right triangle, whose two legs are 5 and 12.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 13\)

\(\displaystyle 5\)

\(\displaystyle 30\)

\(\displaystyle 60\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 30\)

Explanation:

To solve, you must first use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve for the hypotenuse and then add that value to the two perimeter values given.

Thus,

\(\displaystyle c^2=a^2+b^2\Rightarrow c=\sqrt{a^2+b^2}\)

\(\displaystyle c=\sqrt{5^2+12^2}=\sqrt{25+144}=\sqrt{169}=13\)

\(\displaystyle P=5+12+13=30\)

Example Question #5 : How To Find The Perimeter Of A Triangle

If an equilateral triangle has a perimeter of \(\displaystyle 18\), what is the length of one of its sides?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 18\)

\(\displaystyle 5\)

\(\displaystyle 1\)

Cannot be determined

\(\displaystyle 6\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 6\)

Explanation:

An equilateral triangle has three equal length sides.  

The perimeter of a triangle is all the sides added together.  

Since all the sides are the same length the equation 

\(\displaystyle s+s+s=18\) 

is equal to 

\(\displaystyle 3s=18\).  

To find the side length, you just need to divide the perimeter by \(\displaystyle 3\) which is 

\(\displaystyle 18/3=6\).

Example Question #6 : Triangles

Find the perimeter of an equilateral triangle that has a side with a length of 11 inches.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 22 \text{ inches}\)

\(\displaystyle 33 \text{ inches}\)

\(\displaystyle 121 \text{ inches}^2\)

\(\displaystyle 121 \text{ inches}\)

\(\displaystyle 33 \text{ inches}^2\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 33 \text{ inches}\)

Explanation:

To find the perimeter of a triangle, we use the following formula:

\(\displaystyle \text{perimeter of triangle} = a+b+c\)

where a, b, and c are the sides of the triangle.  

Now, we know the triangle is equilateral.  This means that each side of the triangle is the same length.  We know one side is 11 inches.  Therefore, all sides are 11 inches.  Knowing this, we can substitute.  We get

\(\displaystyle \text{perimeter of triangle} = 11\text{ inches} + 11\text{ inches} + 11\text{ inches}\)

\(\displaystyle \text{perimeter of triangle} = 33 \text{ inches}\)

Example Question #1 : Plane Geometry

Find the perimeter of an equilateral triangle whose side measures 14 meters.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 42 meters\)

\(\displaystyle 98 meters\)

Cannot be determined from the information provided.

\(\displaystyle 28 meters\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 42 meters\)

Explanation:

Find the perimeter of an equilateral triangle whose side measures 14 meters.

The perimeter of a shape is simply the distance around it. 

An equilateral triangle has three equal sides.

To find the perimeter in this case, simply multiply one side by 3.

\(\displaystyle P=3*14m=42m\)

So our answer is 42 meters.

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