JAMB - Mathematics (1993 - No. 26)
The three sides of an isosceles triangle are length of lengths (x + 3), (2x + 3), (2x - 3) respectively. Calculate x.
5
1
3
6
Explicació
2x + 3 \(\neq\) 2x - 3 for any value of x
∴ for the \(\bigtriangleup\) to be isosceles, either
2x - 3 = x + 3 or 2x + 3 = x + 3
solve the two equations we arrive at
x = 6 or x = 0
When x = 6, the sides are 9, 15, 9
When x = 0, the sides are 3, 4, -3 since lengths of a \(\bigtriangleup\)can never be negative then the value of x = 6
∴ for the \(\bigtriangleup\) to be isosceles, either
2x - 3 = x + 3 or 2x + 3 = x + 3
solve the two equations we arrive at
x = 6 or x = 0
When x = 6, the sides are 9, 15, 9
When x = 0, the sides are 3, 4, -3 since lengths of a \(\bigtriangleup\)can never be negative then the value of x = 6