Question 531840
a) The matting will add w inches to each side of the 11" wide photograph for a total width (in inches) of 11+2w.
Likewise, the matting will add w inches above and w inches below the picture for a total height of 14+2w.
The area (in square inches) will be
{{{area=(11+2w)(14+2w)}}}
A different way to express the answer may be expected, like the equivalent expressions shown below.
{{{(11+2w)(14+2w)=(2w+11)(2w+14)=4w^2+50w+154}}}
b) If w=2 inches (assuming that's what you meant to write), the total width (in inches) of photograph plus matting will be
{{{11+2w=11+2*2=11+4=15}}}
and the total height (in inches) will be
{{{14+2w=14+2*2=14+4=18}}}
c) If w=2 inches (assuming that's what you meant to write), we multiply 15 inches times 18 inches to get 270 square inches.
If we really want to practice manipulating numbers, showing that we know algebra (and that we are willing to work unnecessarily hard), we substitute in one of those expressions to get the area in square inches.
{{{area=(11+2*2)(14+2*2)=(11+4)(14+4)=15*18=270}}}
{{{area=4w^2+50w+154=4*2^2+50*2+154=4*4+50*2+154=16+100+154=270}}}