Final answer:
The area of the path surrounding the rectangular garden is 360 sq. ft.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the area of the path surrounding the rectangular garden, we first need to find the area of the garden itself.
The garden measures 24 ft by 30 ft, so its area is 24 * 30 = 720 sq. ft.
Next, we need to subtract the area of the garden from the area of the overall space, which includes the path.
The overall dimensions are 30 ft + 2(3 ft) for the width, and 24 ft + 2(3 ft) for the length.
This gives us a length of 30 + 2 * 3 = 36 ft and a width of 24 + 2 * 3 = 30 ft.
Therefore, the overall area is 36 * 30 = 1080 sq. ft.
Finally, we can find the area of the path by subtracting the area of the garden from the overall area: 1080 sq. ft - 720 sq. ft = 360 sq. ft.