SOLUTION: The length of the rectangular lot is one less than the width. If the perimeter is 16 cm. What is the width of the lot in centimeter?

Question 647826: The length of the rectangular lot is one less than the width. If the perimeter is 16 cm. What is the width of the lot in centimeter?
Found 2 solutions by rfer, Algebraic:
Answer by rfer(16322) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
2x+2(x-1)=16
2x+2x-2=16
4x=18
x=4.5
x-1=3.5
Answer by Algebraic(50) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
In this problem, the width is the unknown, so let's assign it a variable 'W'
Let's assign length the variable 'L'
The length is one less than the width, so it allows us to come up with an equation.. L = W - 1 because the Length (L) is one (1) less than the width.
A rectangle has four sides:
2 sides of width (W)
2 sides of length L = (W-1)
The perimeter is 16 cm, so we know that whatever our equation is, it will have to be set equal to 16 cm. To find the perimeter of any object, you must add all sides of it, and in this case, there are four sides to a rectangle.
We also know that the equation for solving perimeter is:

Step 1: Plug in the length equation into the perimeter equation like so:
Perimeter equation:
Length equation:

Step 2: Distribute the '2' to the first parenthesis

Step 3: Combine like terms

Step 4: Add '2' to both sides so that you can get '4W' by itself

Step 5: Divide by '4' to both sides so that you can get 'W' by itself
W=4.5 cm
So, the width of the rectangular lot is 4.5 cm
To find the length, take 4.5 cm and subtract it by 1 because the length is one less than the width.

L = 3.5 cm
So, the length is 3.5 cm and the width is 4.5 cm.
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