16Hit1600
AlgebraHardPerimeter equation with a described relationship

Algebra practice question

A rectangle's length is 4 centimetres less than three times its width, and its perimeter is 64 centimetres. What is the width, in centimetres?

Answer: 9

Let the width be w; the length is 3w − 4. Perimeter: 2(3w − 4) + 2w = 64 → 8w − 8 = 64 → 8w = 72 → w = 9. Check: the length is 23, and 2(23) + 2(9) = 64.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 7
7 comes from 8w − 8 = 64 solved as 8w = 56.
If you answered 18
18 comes from using 4w for the perimeter: 4w − 8 = 64.
If you answered 23
23 is the length, not the width.

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