A rectangular counter for the customer service department of a store is 6 feet longer than its wide. If the perimeter is 32 feet, what are the outside dimensions of the counter?

Answer 1

Since you're given the length is 6 feet longer than the width, L = W + 6. Further, you're given the perimeter is 32 feet and since P = 2L + 2W, 32 = 2L + 2W = 2(W + 6) + 2W = 2W + 12 + 2W. Subtracting 12 from both sides gives 20 = 4W, therefore W = 5 and L = 5 + 6 = 11