FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

How is the perimeter of a triangle determined?

1. 2h + b

2. a + b + c

3. side1 + side2

4. 3a

The correct answer is: a + b + c

The perimeter of a triangle is determined by adding the lengths of all three sides together. This means that if you have a triangle with sides measured as 'a', 'b', and 'c', the perimeter can be calculated using the formula a + b + c. This formula reflects that the perimeter encompasses the total distance around the triangle by including each side. Other formulas, like 2h + b or 3a, do not adequately represent the perimeter of a triangle and are inappropriate as they either pertain to other shapes or do not take into account all sides of the triangle. Similarly, saying "side1 + side2" is incomplete, as it neglects the third side necessary for calculating the full perimeter. Thus, the formula provided aligns correctly with the definition of a triangle's perimeter.