Find the length of each side of the pentagon

The two longest sides of a pentagon are each 3 times as long as the shortest side. The other sides are each 8 m longer than the shortest side. Find the length of each side if the perimeter is 79 m. Use x = shortest side

---

x = shortest side
3x = one of the longest sides
3x = other longest side
x + 8 = other side
x + 8 = other side

​x + 3x + 3x + x + 8 + x + 8 = 79 {perimeter, which is 79, equals all sides added together}
9x + 16 = 79 {combined like terms}
9x = 63 {subtracted 16 from each side}
x = 7 {divided each side by 9}
3x = 21 {substituted 7, in for x, into 3x}
​x + 8 = 15 {substituted 7, in for x, into x + 8}

sides are 7, 15, 15, 21, and 21

Ask the House