SOLUTION: I need two equations and two variables.A rectangle is five times as long as it is wide. If it were 24cm shorter and 24 cm wider, it would be a square. What are the dimensions? help

Algebra ->  Human-and-algebraic-language -> SOLUTION: I need two equations and two variables.A rectangle is five times as long as it is wide. If it were 24cm shorter and 24 cm wider, it would be a square. What are the dimensions? help      Log On


   

Question 562530: I need two equations and two variables.A rectangle is five times as long as it is wide. If it were 24cm shorter and 24 cm wider, it would be a square. What are the dimensions? help please!! :)
Found 2 solutions by solver91311, issacodegard:
Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!




A square is a rectangle where the length equals the width, so:



John

My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it
The Out Campaign: Scarlet Letter of Atheism

Answer by issacodegard(60) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Hi, let L and W be the length and width of the rectangle, since this is what we need to find. We know the following,
L=5W
For the second piece of information, we think,
If the dimensions were L-24 and W+24, the rectangle would be a square. If it were a square, then its dimensions would be equal. So, the second equation is,
L-24=W+24
So we solve the system:
5W-24=W+24
4W=48
W=12
So, L=5(12)=60
So, the dimensions are 60cm and 12cm.