Triangle inequality Memes

The real question isn't finding the perimeter—it's finding whether this triangle can even exist ! With sides (3a+7), (a-14), and (2a-1), you'd need to satisfy the triangle inequality theorem: the sum of any two sides must exceed the third side. For most values of 'a', that (a-14) side is going negative faster than my motivation during finals week. The student's answer "6a-8" is technically correct for the perimeter, but they skipped the existential crisis of whether this shape is even possible in our reality. Math teachers love throwing these geometric paradoxes at us just to watch our souls leave our bodies.