SOLUTION: The length of a rectangle is 3 meters less than 2 times the width. The perimeter is 24 meters. Find the width. The answer i keep coming up with is 3, but that is not it.

Question 647761: The length of a rectangle is 3 meters less than 2 times the width. The perimeter is 24 meters. Find the width.
The answer i keep coming up with is 3, but that is not it.
Answer by Algebraic(50) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
We're looking for the width, so let's make that the unknown variable 'W'.
The length of the rectangle can be expressed as: 3 meters less than 2 times the width.
So, let's use the letter 'L' for length. L = 2W - 3
Remember a rectangle has four sides and the perimeter of any object covers all sides of the figure.
First width of rectangle = W
Second width of rectangle = W
First length of rectangle = 2W - 3
Second length of rectangle = 2W - 3
The above covers all four sides. Now, the perimeter of all of the sides is 24 meters, so we're going to be setting whatever we have equal to 24 meters.
Step 1: Set up the equation by adding all four sides and totaling it to 24 meters:
W + W + (2W - 3) + (2W - 3) = 24 meters
Step 2: Combine like terms
2W + (4W - 6) = 24 meters
Step 3: Combine like terms
2W + 4W - 6 = 24 meters
6W - 6 = 24 meters
Step 4: Add 6 to both sides
6W = 24 + 6
6W = 30
Step 5: Divide 6 to both sides to get "W (the width)" by itself
W (Width) = 5 meters
The width of the rectangle is 5 meters
If you want to find the length as well, just substitute 5 (our answer) in for "W" in the length equation we created at the start of the problem..
The length of the rectangle is 7 meters

L = 2W - 3
2(5) - 3
10 - 3
7 meters

RELATED QUESTIONS
the length of a rectangle is 4 meters less than 3 times the width. If the perimeter is 56 (answered by oberobic)

the length of a rectangle is 4 meters less than 3 times the width. If the perimeter is 48 (answered by josgarithmetic)

The width of a rectangle is 3 meters less than the length. The perimeter is 14 meters.... (answered by Earlsdon)

the width of a rectangle is 3 meters less than the length. the perimeter is 14 meters.... (answered by user_dude2008)

The length of a rectangle is 3 meters less than 5 times the width. The perimeter is 18... (answered by nyc_function)

The length of a rectangle is 3 meters less than 3 times the width. The perimeter is 26... (answered by Alan3354)

The length of a rectangle is 2 meters less than 2 times the width. The perimeter... (answered by ikleyn)

The perimeter of a rectangle is 400 meters. The length is 15 meters less than 4 times... (answered by uknouluvme89)

the width of a rectangle is 3 meters less than the lenght. the perimeter is 14 meters.... (answered by solver91311)