Describe the possible lengths of the third side of the triangle given that the lengths of the other two sides are 5 inches and 12 inches.

The length of the third side of a triangle, given the lengths of the other two sides, is determined by the Triangle Inequality Theorem. This theorem states that the length of any side of a triangle must be less than the sum of the lengths of the other two sides and greater than the difference of the lengths of the other two sides.

Given that the lengths of the two sides are 5 inches and 12 inches, we can calculate the possible length of the third side as follows:

1. Find the sum of the lengths of the two sides: 5 + 12 = 17 inches. The length of the third side must be less than this sum.

2. Find the difference of the lengths of the two sides: 12 - 5 = 7 inches. The length of the third side must be greater than this difference.

Therefore, the possible lengths of the third side of the triangle are greater than 7 inches and less than 17 inches.