Skip to main content
OlympiadHQ

Browse · MATH

Print

jmc

geometry senior

Problem

A scalene triangle has side lengths which are prime numbers and the length of its perimeter is also prime. What is its smallest possible perimeter?
Solution
The first few prime numbers are: . Since the triangle is scalene, all the sides are different primes.

If one side is 2, then the other two sides must be odd. Then the perimeter of the triangle would be even. But the perimeter must also be greater than 2, so it cannot be prime. This means that none of the sides can be 2.

Now, suppose one side is 3. Let the other two sides be and where Since all the sides are different, Also, by the Triangle Inequality, so Since the only possible values of are and

Since is a prime greater than 3, is odd. If then is even, which means is not prime. Therefore, or As a number, must be of the form or Since is prime, cannot be of the form If then which is not prime. Therefore, Then and the perimeter of the triangle is Since this is divisible by 3, the perimeter cannot be prime. This tells us that none of the sides can be equal to 3 either.

Note that is prime, so the smallest possible perimeter is
Final answer
23