16Hit1600
AlgebraMediumRectangle from its perimeter and a difference

Algebra practice question

A rectangle has a perimeter of 40 centimetres, and its length is 4 centimetres greater than its width. What is the length of the rectangle, in centimetres?

Answer: 12

l + w = 20 (half the perimeter) and l − w = 4. Adding: 2l = 24, so l = 12 (and w = 8).

Common wrong answers

If you answered 8
8 is the WIDTH; the question asks for the length.
If you answered 16
16 uses l + w = 20 with w = 4, treating the 4 as the width itself rather than the difference.
If you answered 24
24 is 2l, one step short.

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