Question

A rectangle has a width that is 6 inches less than its length. The perimeter of the rectangle is 72 inches. What is the length?

Answer 1

Let's call the rectangle's length x and its width, x - 6.

Since a rectangle has 4 sides and the perimeter of the rectangle

is just the distance around the outside of the figure,

we can create an equation.

This equation will be x + x + x - 6 + x - 6 = 72.

Simplifying on the left gives us 4x - 12 = 72.

Add 12 to both sides to get 4x = 84.

Now divide both sides by 4 to get x = 21.

Since x represents our length, we know that the length is 21 inches.