Question

A rectangular sandbox has a perimeter of 26 feet. The length of the sandbox is 3 greater than the width. What is the width and the length of the sandbox

Answer 1

Length = 8 ft. Width = 5ft.

Explanation:

We know:

P = 26

L = (w + 3)

W = ?

We must first develop an equation for the problem.

P = 2(L + W)

Fill in what we know

26 = 2[(w + 3) + w]

Solve for W

26 = 2[2w + 3]

26 = 4w + 6

4w = 20

w = 5

Solve for L

L = (5 + 3)

L = 8

Check

P = 2(L + W)

Fill in what we know

26 = 2(8 + 5)

Solve

26 = 16 + 10

26 = 26

True!

Answer 2

Explanation:

The area of a rectangle (assuming the sandbox is rectangular) is:

A

=

l

×

w

where:

A

is the Area of the rectangle: 26 square feet for this problem.

l

is the Length of the rectangle: 5 feet for this problem.

w

is the Width of the rectangle: What we are solving for in this problem.

Substituting for

A

and

l

and solving for

w

gives:

26

ft

2

=

5

ft

×

w

26

ft

2

5

ft

=

5

ft

×

w

5

ft

26

ft

×

ft

5

ft

=

5

ft

×

w

5

ft

26

ft

×

ft

5

ft

=

w

26

ft

5

=

w

Or

26

5

ft

=

w

Or

5

1

5

ft

=

w

Explanation: