Question

One side of a rectangle is 3 inches shorter than the other side, and the perimeter is 54 inches. What are the dimensions of the rectangle?

Which of the following equations could be used to solve the problem?

2x + 2(x - 3) = 54
2x + 2x - 3 = 54
2x - 3 = 54

Answer 1

Let the length be x and the width be x - 3
Perimeter = 2(length + width) = 2(x + x - 3) = 54
2x + 2(x - 3) = 54