Question

A rectangle is 5 inches long and 2x inches wide. The value of the perimeter (in inches) is equal to the value of the area (in square inches). Find x.

Answer 1

Let y equal both the perimeter and the area. So, the equation for the perimeter is 5 plus 5 plus 2x plus another 2x equal to y. And 5 times 2x is equal to y for the area. That makes 10 plus 4x equal to 10x.

Subtracting 4x from both sides of the equation results in 10 equals 6x. Dividing both sides by 6 results in x equaling 10/6 or 5/3

Explanation:

Answer 2

Let y equal both the perimeter and the area. So, the equation for the perimeter is 5 plus 5 plus 2x plus another 2x equal to y. And 5 times 2x is equal to y for the area. That makes 10 plus 4x equal to 10x.
Subtracting 4x from both sides of the equation results in 10 equals 6x. Dividing both sides by 6 results in x equaling 10/6 or 5/3