Question

Jake's rectangular patio has a length of 12 feet and a width of 8 feet. Which changewould double the area of the patio?

Answer 1

The area of a rectangle can be calculated using the following formula:

`A=lw`

Where "l" is the length and "w" is the width.

In this case you know that:

`\begin{gathered} l=12ft \\ w=8ft \end{gathered}`

Then, substituting values into the formula and evaluating, you get that Jake's patio area is:

`A=(12ft)(8ft)=96ft^2`

If you double the area, this would be:

`A=(96ft^2)(2)=192ft^2`

Knowing the above, let's check each option:

1. If you double the length only:

`A=\lbrack(12ft)(2)\rbrack(8ft)=192ft^2`

2. Adding 2 feet to the length only: