SOLUTION: If you double all of the sides of a square by what percentage has the area increased?

Algebra ->  Rectangles -> SOLUTION: If you double all of the sides of a square by what percentage has the area increased?      Log On


   

Question 391117: If you double all of the sides of a square by what percentage has the area increased?
Answer by robertb(5830) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
original area = s%5E2
new area = %282s%29%5E2+=+4s%5E2
==> percentage increase is %28%284s%5E2+-+s%5E2%29%2Fs%5E2%29%2A100+=+300%.
You stated: "When we divide a whole number by a FRACTION [caps mine], our answer is larger than we started with. Explain why."
In fact, this is true only if the dividing FRACTION is between 0 and 1 exclusive, and the number we're dividing is positive.
Let a, b be positive integers, and let a > b, so that b/a < 1.
Then c%2F%28b%2Fa%29+=+c%2Aa%2Fb+%3E+c by a multiplicative property of inequality.