document.write( "Question 85831: express the perimeter p of a rectangle as function of it sides a and b and compute the perimeter when a=3 and b=5 \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #62024 by bucky(2189)\"\" \"About 
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Two of the characteristics of a rectangle are that it has 4 sides and that its opposite
\n" ); document.write( "sides are equal in length. Therefore, if you know that two sides are \"a\" and \"b\", then you
\n" ); document.write( "also know that there are two other sides of lengths \"a\" and \"b\". And you should
\n" ); document.write( "know that
\n" ); document.write( "the perimeter of a rectangle is found by adding the lengths of all 4 of its sides.
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\n" ); document.write( "So the equation for the perimeter (P) of the given rectangle can be written as:
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\n" ); document.write( "P = a + b + a + b
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\n" ); document.write( "And this equation can be simplified by adding together the common terms on the right side
\n" ); document.write( "of the equation to get:
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\n" ); document.write( "P = 2a + 2b
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\n" ); document.write( "This equation gives P, the perimeter, as a function of the sides \"a\" and \"b\" of the
\n" ); document.write( "rectangle.
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\n" ); document.write( "The problem tells you that a = 3 and b = 5. You can find the perimeter of the rectangle
\n" ); document.write( "by substituting these values for \"a\" and \"b\" into the equation to get:
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\n" ); document.write( "P = (2*3) + (2*5) = 6 + 10 = 16
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\n" ); document.write( "The answer is that the perimeter of the given rectangle is 16.
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\n" ); document.write( "Hope this helps you to understand the problem.
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