Question 214680
The length of a rectangle is 5 cm less than 3 times the width.  If the perimeter of the rectangle is 46 cm find the dimensions of the rectangle.


Step 1.  Let w be the width and let 3w-5 be the length as given in the problem.


Step 2.  The perimeter P of a rectangle means to add up all the sides.  So


{{{P=w+w+3w-5+3w-5=46}}}


Step 3.  The following will solve the equation in Step 2.


*[invoke explain_simplification "w+w+3w-5+3w-5=46" ]


With w=7 then the length is 3w-5=3*7-5=16.  Note that these dimensions will result in a perimeter of 46 cm


Step 4.  ANSWER:   7 cm is the width and 16 cm is the length of the rectangle


I hope the above steps were helpful. 


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And good luck in your studies!


Respectfully,
Dr J