The sides of a triangle are 4x (cm), 5x+3 (cm) and 7x-1 (cm). If the perimeter of the triangle is 130 (cm), what is the length of the shortest side of the triangle?

Well, first you need to find x/

All the sides added together will equal the perimeter, so set up this equation ...

4x+5x+3+7x-1=130

16x+2=130

16x=128 - - - > subtract 2 from both sides

x=8 - - - > divide both sides by 16

Now plug in x to the equation for each side, and the one resulting in the smallest number is the answer, which should be the 4x that is 32 cm

4x+5x+3+7x-1=130

16x-2=130

16x=132

x=132/16

x=8.25

4 (8.25) = 33

5 (8.25) + 3=44.25

7 (8.25) - 1=56.75

4x is the shortest side