Final answer:
The side length of the wrestling mat is given by the expression 3x - 8.
Step-by-step explanation:
The perimeter of a square is the sum of all its side lengths. In this case, the perimeter of the wrestling mat is given as (12x - 32) feet. Since a square has four equal side lengths, we can set up the equation:
(12x - 32) = 4s
Where s represents the side length of the mat. To find s, we divide both sides of the equation by 4:
s = (12x - 32)/4
To simplify this expression, we divide each term by 4:
s = 3x - 8