Question

The width of a rectangle is 2 meters less than its length, and the perimeter is 32 meters. Find the length and width of the rectangle.

The length is ___ and the width is ___

Answer 1

the perimeter is equal to 2(width) + 2(length). let's call the width w and the length L.

so 32 = 2w + 2L
the width is given as 2 meters less than the length, so w = L - 2

32 = 2(L - 2) + 2L
32 = 2L - 4 + 2L
32 = 4L - 4
36 = 4L
9 = L

so our length is 9 meters.

w = L - 2
w = 9 - 2
w = 7

so our width is 7 meters.