→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→         
    ↓                      l                            ↓   
    ↓                                                   ↓           
    ↓  w                                           w ↓           
    ↓                                                   ↓                 
    ↓                       l                           ↓                          
     →→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→
   P = l + w + l + w = 2 ·      l + 2w   if   l = 2 + w ,  then
                                         ↓                                             
                          P = 2 · (2 + w) + 2w = 4w + 4 = 4(w + 1) = 84, then 
w + 1 = 84/4 --------> w +1 = 21 -----> w = 20 ft. and l = 22 ft.
                                                                                               

Simple

W=X

L=(X+2)

We know there are 4 sides, totaling an 84 foot perimeter.

X+X+X+X+2+2=84

so 4X+4=84

Carry the 4 across the 0, and flip the sign

4X=84-4

4X=80

X=80/4=20

 

therefore L=20 and W=20+2=22.

 

 

 

Dear Kwantia,

It's like this:  You know that the length of this rectangle and the width of this rectangle put together will add up to 42.  Remember, the perimeter of the whole thing is going to be four different sides because it's a rectangle.  The whole perimeter is 2l + 2w.  Or, say, length plus width plus length plus width.  Since length equals length and width equals width, you can just cut it all in half:  2l + 2w = 84 is the same as saying l + w = 42. 

That makes it easier, huh?  Now let's look at this equation:  l + w = 42.

I don't know what either l or w is.  However, I do know that l is 2 GREATER THAN w.  Now is where I use a very valuable tool you have surely heard of:  algebra.  Let's say that w is a variable I'll call X.  Now, if w is X, I can come up with an expression for l, because I know l is 2 more than w.  Therefore, l is (x + 2). 

Therefore, the equation l + w = 42 can be re-written as:  (x + 2) + x = 42.

This simplifies to 2x + 2 = 42

This simplifies to 2x = 40 because we subtract 2 from each side.

Then, dividing by 2 we get that x = 20.

But wait, hold your horses.  Don't forget what X is.  You could still miss this problem if you, say, thought X was length.  It is not.  X is width.  Length is greater than width by 2, remember?

Therefore, the width is 20 and the length is 22.  This is a 20 by 22 garden.

I hope you like that.  :-)

 

You set up the equation like this: (x + x + 2) + (x + x +2)=84. The variables "x" represent the width and "x+2" represents the length. Once you combine like terms the equation turns into a two-step equation. Now, solve for "x". Once you find out what "x" represents, plug it back into the length and width to find out what the sides eqaul. Don't forget to label each side with the proper measurement.

First, we need to name our variables:

w = Width

l = Length

Next,  we are going to write equations from the information given.

The formula for the perimeter of a rectangle is 2 times the length plus 2 times the width, so the formula for the perimeter of the garden is:

2l + 2w = 84

The problem also tells us that the length is 2 more than the width, which produces the equation:

l = w + 2

Since we have a system of two equation in two variables, we solve them by substitution to find their values.

2l + 2w = 84                       Formula for the are of the garden

2(w + 2) + 2w = 84             Substitution

2w + 4 + 2w = 84               Distribute the 4

4w + 4 = 84                       Simplify

4w + 4 - 4 = 84 - 4             Subtract 4 from each side

4w = 80                            Simplify

4w/4 = 80/4                      Divide both sides by 4

w = 20                              Simplify

l = w + 2                           Second equation from the problem

l = 20 + 2                         Substitution

l = 22                               Simplify

The garden is 22 ft long and 20 ft wide.