Comparing & Computing with Whole Number & Decimals

Question

Mrs. Aster wants to plant a vegetable garden on plot of land that is in the shape of a rectangle. The length of the garden is 12 feet and the area is 96 square feet.  It cost $17.31 per linear foot to install a fence. If the gate is 3 feet wide gate and costs $129.89, what is the total cost of fencing in the garden?

Answer 1

The key to this question is finding the perimeter of the garden.  We already know the length, but we don't know the width.  We can use the area to find the width though, since area = length * width.  96 square feet / 12 feet = 8 feet.  Perimeter of a rectangle is given by 2 * length + 2 * width:  2 * 12 + 2 * 8 = 40 feet.

 

Next, the gate itself is 3 feet, and does not contribute to the cost of the regular fencing.  So the regular fencing will be a linear amount of 40 feet - 3 feet: 37 feet.  Now, we can find the cost of the regular fencing by multiplying $17.31 per foot by 37 feet. 

 

$17.31 per foot * 37 feet = $640.47

 

We need to add back in the cost of the gate, also.

 

$640.47 + $129.89 = $770.36 is the total cost.

Answer 2

96 / 12 = 8

The width is 8 feet.

The perimeter is 40 feet.

37 feet of fencing is needed (40 - 3)

37($17.31) = $640.47   This is cost of fencing

$640.47 + $129.89 = $770.36    This is the total cost