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Find the dimensions of a rectangle with an area of 16 square feet that has the minimum perimeter The dimensions of this rectangle are it.

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The dimensions of a rectangle with an area of 16 square feet that has the minimum perimeter is a square with side lengths of
4 feet each, making the dimensions
4 feet by
4 feet.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the dimensions of a rectangle with an area of 16 square feet that has the minimum perimeter, we can utilize the properties of rectangles. The rectangle with the smallest perimeter for a given area is a square. This is because the square has equal sides and the sum of its side lengths (perimeter) for a given area is the least compared to any other rectangle with the same area.

The area of a rectangle is calculated using the formula:


Area = length × width

Since we are looking for a square:


Area = side × side

If the area is 16 square feet, and both sides are equal, we can write:


side × side = 16


side2 = 16

To find the side length, take the square root of both sides:


side = √16


side = 4 feet

Therefore, the dimensions of the square (which is a special case of a rectangle) with an area of
16 square feet and the minimum perimeter are
4 feet by
4 feet.

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