Hi Melody,
my calculation with your picture of the triangle without trigonometry:
I. The triangle BED is an right angle triangle ( Thales Theorem ). See : http://www.mathopenref.com/thalestheorem.html
II. The triangle AEB is equilateral so the side EB = r ! ( You have worked out this )
III. We have the Altitude on Hypotenuse Theorem in a right triangle : EB * EB = BH * BD . See: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-solve-problems-with-the-altitude0nhypotenus.html
with EB = r and BD = d = 2r we have: r*r = BH * 2r or r = BH * 2 or $$\small{\text{
$
\boxed{BH = \frac{r}{2}}
$
}}$$
IV. Now we have the Geometric mean Theorem in a right triangle: BH * HD = x * x
with BH = r/2 and HD = d - r/2 = 2r - r/2. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometric_mean_theorem
$$\small{\text{
$
\dfrac{r}{2}\left(
2r-\dfrac{r}{2}
\right)=x^2,\ \quad
r^2-\dfrac{r^2}{4} = x^2 ,\ \quad
\dfrac{3}{4} r^2 = x^2 ,\ \quad
\dfrac{\sqrt{3}}{2}r = x
$
}}\\\\
\small{\text{
The side is
$
2x = \sqrt{3}*r
$
}}
\small{\text{
and $ r = \frac{9}{2} = 4.5 $ we have the side
= 4.5*\sqrt{3}
$
}}$$