16Hit1600
AlgebraMediumRectangle with the same perimeter as a square

Algebra practice question

A rectangle's width is 5 centimetres less than its length. Its perimeter equals the perimeter of a square with side length 10 centimetres. What is the length of the rectangle, in centimetres?

Answer: 12.5 or 25/2

The square's perimeter is 40. For the rectangle: 2(l + l − 5) = 40 → 4l − 10 = 40 → l = 12.5.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 10
10 is the square's side, not the rectangle's length.
If you answered 15
15 comes from 2l − 5 = 25 solved as l = 15, halving only once.
If you answered 7.5
7.5 is the width.

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