16Hit1600
AlgebraMediumEquation from a geometric description

Algebra practice question

A rectangle's length is 4 times 1 less than its width w, and its length is also 8 more than twice its width. What is w?

Answer: 6

4(w − 1) = 2w + 8, so 4w − 4 = 2w + 8, 2w = 12, w = 6.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 2
2 comes from 4w − 4 = 2w + 8 solved as 2w = 4, subtracting 4 from 8 instead of adding it.
If you answered 12
12 is 2w, not w.
If you answered 4.5
4.5 comes from 4w − 1 = 2w + 8 (forgetting to distribute the 4 to the −1).

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