document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1180102>Question 1180102</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> One pair of opposite sides of a rectangle increases in length by 25%. By what percent must the other pair of sides decrease if the area of the rectangle remains the same? </SPAN>\n" );
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document.write( "Work this kind of problem by thinking in terms of what FACTOR the one pair of sides is MULTIPLIED BY instead of in terms of percent increase or decrease.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "An increase of 25% (i.e., 1/4) increases the measurement by a FACTOR of (1+1/4)=5/4.  To keep the area the same, the other dimension of the rectangle must be changed by a factor of 4/5.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Original area: (x)(y) = xy<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "New area: ((5/4)x)((4/5)y) = xy<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "4/5 as a percentage is 80%, which means a decrease of 20%.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "ANSWER: 20%<br><BR>\n" );
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