Write and equation for each situation. Solve the equation.

a) A rectangle is three times as long as it is wide. Its perimeter is 36 units. Find the length of

each side.

Answer: The length of the rectangle is 13.5 units and the width is 4.5 units

Step-by-step explanation: The perimeter of the rectangle has been given as 36 units. The formula applied to calculate the perimeter is

Perimeter = 2 (L + W)

However the details in the question states that the rectangle is three times as long as it is wide. That is, the length is three times it's width. So if the width is W then the length is 3W.

Therefore, to calculate the perimeter we shall apply the following;

Perimeter = 2 (3W + W)

If the perimeter is given as 36 units, then we have;

36 = 2 (4W)

We cross multiply and we have

36/2 = 4W

18 = 4W

Divide both sides of the equation by 4

4.5 = W

So the width is calculated as 4.5, hence the length would be 3W which equals 3 x 4.5 and that equals 13.5

Therefore, Length = 13.5 units and Width = 4.5 units