Question

Solve the problem.

The length of a rectangle is 8 inches more than its width. If 4 inches are taken from the length and
added to the width, the figure becomes a square with an area of 196 square inches. What are the
dimensions of the original figure?

Answer 1

18 in. x 10 in.

Explanation:

Squares will always have equal lengths. So, you need to figure out what will multiple by itself to get 196, and it’s 14.

Since you know in the equation that if 4 were to be taken away from the length and added to the width, it would make the 14 x 14 square, you can subtract 4 from one of the 14’s and add 4 to the other 14.

So, then you get (14-4) 10 in. x (14+4) 18 in.