Word problem

Question

Valerie needs to put a fence around her pool and deck. The area to be fenced is rectangular in shape such that the length is 3 feet longer than the width. If she needs a total of 114 feet of fencing, what are the dimensions of the area to be fenced?

 

Width of the area?

 

Length of the area?

Answer 1

Hey Tiffany!

 

So lets talk perimeter. If I were to draw a rectangle representing the area to be fenced, then what would the dimensions be?

 

Well, the width is unknown, so lets say width = x, and the length is unknown too, but we know that it is 3 feet more than the width, so lets say length = x + 3.

 

For a rectangle, the formula for perimeter is 2l + 2w = P. That means two lengths plus two widths is equal to the total perimeter.  

 

Lets put it all together now:

  

substitute w and l:    2(x+3) + 2(x) = 114

Distribute the 2's:    2x + 6 +  2x  =  114

Solve for x:           4x +  6 =  114

                                   4x =  108

                                     x = 27

 

Remember Tiffany, x is the width, x + 3 is the length, so the width = 27 feet (units!!!) and the length = 30 feet

 

Hope that helps, and remember, math is fun and easy!!!

Answer 2

Tiffany,

 

Perimeter = 2L+2W

L=W+3

W=W

 

2(W+3)+2W=114

2W+6+2W=114

4W=108

W=27

 

L=27+3

L=30