A rectangular garden is fenced on all sides with 160 ft of fencing. The garden is 6 ft longer than it is wide. What is the area of the garden?

Question

We have to learn how to write equations from word problems. It's kind of confusing for me. 

Answer 1

Naimal,

Let's look for the clues.  A rectangle has 4 sides, 2 sides are equal length and so are the other 2 sides of a rectangle.  

 

Perimeter of a rectangle is Side 1 + Side 2 + Side 3 + Side 4.

 

Side 1 and Side 3 (for example) are the longer sides of the rectangle, they will be equal.

Side 2 and 4 (for example) are the shorter sides of the rectangle, they will be equal.

 

Sides 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 160

 

Side 1 and Side 3 are equal to "x + 6", or in plain english 6 feet longer than the other sides.

Side 2 and 4 are equal to "x"

 

Adding them all together

 

x + x + x+6 + x+6 = 4x + 12 = 160

 

4x + 12 = 160 is now a much simpler algebra problem.

 

4x = 148

 

x = 37

 

 

So the shorter sides are each 37, the longer sides are each 43.

 

The area of a rectangle is length times width.

 

37 x 43 = 1591 ft squared

 

Please message me, I can give you 1 on 1 lessons via Skype, I'd love to help.

Answer 2

P=2l+2w

P=2(w+6)+2w

160=2w+12+2w

160=4w+12

160-12=4w

148=4w

w=148/4

w=37 feet

w+6=43 feet

A=l*w

A=43*37

A=1591 square feet