Final answer:
The value of s in centimeters for a rectangle with an area of 15 cm² and one side measuring 3 cm is 7 cm. This is found by setting up an equation using the area formula and solving for s.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the value of s in centimeters for a rectangle with an area of 15 cm² where one side measures 3 cm and the other side is s - 2 cm, we can set up an equation using the formula for the area of a rectangle, which is area = length × width. In this case, we know the area (15 cm²) and the length (3 cm), so we can solve for the width (s - 2 cm).
The equation is as follows:
3 cm × (s - 2 cm) = 15 cm²
Divide both sides of the equation by 3 cm to isolate s - 2 cm:
(s - 2 cm) = 15 cm² / 3 cm
(s - 2 cm) = 5 cm
Now, add 2 cm to both sides of the equation to solve for s:
s = 5 cm + 2 cm
s = 7 cm
Therefore, the value of s in centimeters is 7 cm.