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A triangle can be formed when the sum of the lengths of any two sides is greater than the length of the third side.
We want to draw a triangle with side lengths of 3 inches, 4 inches, and 5 inches. We can recall that a triangle can be formed when the sum of the lengths of any two sides is greater than the length of the third side. Let's compare the side lengths using a table!
| Comparison | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3in.+4in.? >5in. | 3in.+5in.? >4in. | 4in.+5in.? >3in. |
| 7in. > 5in. ✓ | 8in. > 4in. ✓ | 9in. > 3in. ✓ |
To find the position of the third vertex, we can open the compass to 3 inches. Then we can put the compass at one of the vertices and draw an arc.
Next, we will draw an arc with the compass open to 4 inches. Remember to put the compass at a different vertex than the 3-inch side.
The point of intersection is the location of the third vertex of the triangle. Finally, we can draw our triangle. We can do so by connecting the vertices with the segments.
