Let's use the triangle inequality theorem which states that the sum of the lengths of any two sides of a triangle must be greater than the length of the third side.
So, to find the range of possible lengths for the 3rd side, we calculate as follows:
13 - 5 < x < 13 + 5
8 < x < 18
Therefore, the possible lengths for the 3rd side of the triangle could be any value between 8 and 18 inches.