Question

Nancy walks 15 m diagonally across a rectangular field. She then returns to her

starting position along the outside of the field. The total distance she walks is 36
m. What are the dimensions of the field?

Answer 1

the answer is 9 meters by 12 meters

Answer 2

The dimensions of the field are 9 meters by 12 meters

Explanation:

Nancy's path is a right triangle. Since they really didn't give you enough information to write an equation and solve it, you must use Pythagorean triples. Any triangle with sides 3, 4, 5 is a right triangle. Also, any multiple of this. So times all three numbers by 3 and you get another right triangle: 9, 12, 15

This is the measures of the parts of Nancy's walk. 15m across the field diagonally. And back along the legs of the right triangle (the sides of the rectangular field) 9m and 12m.