It's better to leave the expression as A^2 = (a+b+c)(-a+b+c)(a-b+c)(a+b-c)/16. If a, b, c are all odd then the numerator is the product of four odd numbers, and hence is itself odd. So A^2 is not an integer, and neither is A. The same argument applies if two of a, b, c are equal to 2 and the remaining side length is odd.
Milos has already shown that if a = b = c = 2, then A = sqrt(3). If a = 2 and b, c are odd, then, to form a triangle, we must have b = c, with b > 1. (Try drawing a triangle with sides 2, 9, 11!) So we have an isosceles triangle with base 2 and height sqrt(b^2 - 1). b^2 - 1 is not a perfect square for b > 1, so the height is irrational, and hence also the area.
So we've proved a stronger result, a triangle with all sides lengths equal to either 2 or an odd number does not have integral area.
]]>A = sqrt( ((a+b+c)/2)((a+b+c)/2-a)((a+b+c)/2-b)((a+b+c)/2-c) )
Yuck.
Simplifying: A= sqrt( (a+b+c)(-a+b+c)(a-b+c)(a+b-c)/16)
Take out the denominator: A=sqrt ((a+b+c)(-a+b+c)(a-b+c)(a+b-c)/4
I think I've taken the wrong route, but anyway...
Multiply out the brackets: A= sqrt((-a^4+2a^2*b^2+2a^2*c^2+2b^2*c^2-b^4-c^4))/4
Quite a few things cancelled out there, or it would be even more horrible!
To prove that A isn't a whole number we need to prove that the horrible thing inside the brackets isn't 4 times a square number.
Anyone?
I might be able to get this STARTED, because there is a formula for working out the area of a triangle from its three side, it is called "Heron's Forumula", after a Greek mathematican called Heron who lived about 2000 years ago.
The formula is:
Area of Triangle = sqrt( s(s-a)(s-b)(s-c) )
Where a, b and c are the lengths of the three sides, and s (a+b+c)/2 (ie s=half the perimeter of the triangle)
But I haven't figured what to do next ....
]]>Try to work this out - it is interesting and not too difficult.
I will give you the possible solution in few days.