16Hit1600
AlgebraHardRectangle that becomes a square after resizing

Algebra practice question

A rectangle has a perimeter of 44 centimetres. If its length is decreased by 2 centimetres and its width is increased by 2 centimetres, it becomes a square. What is the length of the original rectangle, in centimetres?

Answer: 13

l + w = 22 and l − 2 = w + 2, so l − w = 4. Adding: 2l = 26 → l = 13 (and w = 9).

Common wrong answers

If you answered 9
9 is the width.
If you answered 11
11 is the side of the square, or half the semi-perimeter.
If you answered 17
17 comes from l − w = 4 mis-added as 2l = 34.

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