SOLUTION: The length of a rectangle is twice the length of each side of a square and the width of the rectangle is 1 inch less than the length of each side of the square. The perimeter of th

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Question 125152: The length of a rectangle is twice the length of each side of a square and the width of the rectangle is 1 inch less than the length of each side of the square. The perimeter of the rectangle exceeds the perimeter of the square by three. Find the length of each side of the square.
I tried solving it, but each time I got a negative answer.
Found 2 solutions by solver91311, scott8148:
Answer by solver91311(12126) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The side of the square is s.

The length of the rectangle is then 2s, so l=2s, and

The width of the rectangle is s - 1, so w=s-1


The perimeter of a rectangle is given by P%5Br%5D=2l%2B2w and the perimeter of a square is given by P%5Bs%5D=4s.

Substituting in the expression for P%5Br%5D, we get P%5Br%5D=2%282s%29%2B2%28s-1%29

But P%5Br%5D=P%5Bs%5D%2B3, so

2%282s%29%2B2%28s-1%29=4s%2B3
4s%2B2s-2=4s%2B3

cartoon%284s%2B2s-2=4s%2B3%2Ccross%284s%29%2B2s-2=cross%284s%29%2B3%2C2s-2=3%29

2s=5
s=5%2F2
Side of the square is 5%2F2. Length of the rectangle is 2%2A%285%2F2%29=5, Width of the rectangle is %285%2F2%29-1=3%2F2

Check answer

P%5Br%5D=2%285%29%2B2%283%2F2%29=10%2B3=13

P%5Bs%5D=4%285%2F2%29=20%2F2=10

And finally, 10+%2B+3=13

Answer by scott8148(5891) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
let x="side of square"

"The length of a rectangle is twice the length of each side of a square"
__ L=2x

"the width of the rectangle is 1 inch less than the length of each side of the square"
__ W=x-1

"The perimeter of the rectangle exceeds the perimeter of the square by three"
__ 2L+2W=4x+3

substituting __ 2(2x)+2(x-1)=4x+3 __ 6x-2=4x+3 __ 2x=5