SOLUTION: The dimensions of a rectangle are 8 centimeters by 12 centimeters. What are the dimensions of a similar rectangle with exactly double the area?

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Question 442302: The dimensions of a rectangle are 8 centimeters by 12 centimeters. What are the dimensions of a similar rectangle with exactly double the area?

Answer by ilana(307) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The area of this rectangle is 8*12=96 cm^2. So the area of the similar rectangle is 2*96=192 cm^2.
A similar rectangle has to have x times the length and x times the width, so an equation for its area is 8x*12x=192.
96x^2 = 192
x^2 = 2
x = rt2.
So the length and width are both multiplied by the square root of 2.
The new dimensions are 8rt2 cm and 12rt2 cm.