16Hit1600
AlgebraVery hardPerimeter of a triangle from an intercept-form line

Algebra practice question

In the xy-plane, the line x/4 + y/3 = 1 and the two axes enclose a triangle. What is the perimeter of that triangle?

Answer: 12

The intercepts are (4, 0) and (0, 3), so the legs are 4 and 3 and the hypotenuse is 5: perimeter 12.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 6
6 is the area.
If you answered 7
7 adds only the two legs.
If you answered 9
9 uses a hypotenuse of 2.

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