Question 163860
The length of a rectangle is 3 m longer than its width.  If the perimeter of the rectangle is 38 m. Find its area.

Let width = x

Let length = x + 3

The formula to find the perimeter of a rectangle is given to be:

P = 2L + 2W

The perimeter is 38 m.

38 = 2(x + 3) + 2(x)

38 = 2x + 6 + 2x

38 = 4x + 6

38 - 6 = 4x

32 = 4x

32/4 = x

8 = x

I just found x to be 8.

We replace x and x + 3 with 8 and simplify.

Width = x = 8 m

Length = x + 3 = 8 + 3 = 11 m

The width is 8 m and the length is 11 m.

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However, the question is asking for the area.

Since we now know the width and length, we can use the formula for finding the area of a rectangle, which is A = LW.

Area = 11 m times 8 m

Area = 88m^2

We need to place a (^2) at the end of each area question because area is measured in squared units.

The final answer is:

Area = 88m^2....This is read: "eighty-eight meters squared."

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