Question

Check if the following triangles can be constructed.

a) 80 cm, 5 cm, 5 cm

b) 13 cm, 6 cm, 7 cm [4 MARKS]

Answer 1

Each part: 2 Marks

(a) Adding up the sides by taking two at a time, we get:

5 cm + 5 cm = 10 cm < 80 cm

80 cm + 5 cm = 85 cm > 5 cm

So we see that the sum of one pair of sides when added is not greater than the third side.

Therefore, we cannot draw a triangle with these measurements.

(b) Adding up the sides by taking two at a time, we get

13 cm + 6 cm = 19 cm > 7 cm

13 cm + 7 cm = 20 cm > 6 cm

6 cm + 7 cm = 13 cm = 13 cm

So in each case, the sum of two sides is equal to the third side.

Hence, this triangle cannot be constructed.