Question

Tracy needs to find the length and width of the equipment storage room where she works. the room is 3 meters longer than it is wide. Its perimeter is 18 meters. Find the width in meters.

Answer 1

Perimeter = 2 · width + 2· lenght
W = L - 3
18 = 2 · ( L - 3) + 2 · L
18 = 2 L - 6 + 2 L
18 + 6 = 4 L
24 = 4 L
L = 24 : 4 = 6 m
W = 6 - 3 = 3 m
The width is 3 m.

Answer 2

3 meters

Explanation:

The equipment storage room where she works is same as the shape of a rectangle, a 4-sided shape with lengths and width. The perimeter of a rectangle is given by the formula

p = 2(L + B)

where L is the length, B is the width and p is the perimeter.

Therefore, if the the room is 3 meters longer than it is wide an the perimeter is 18 meters,

18 = 2(B + 3 + B) where L = B + 3

18 = 6 + 4B

4B = 12

B = 3 meters

The width is 3 meters long