Question

The length of a rectangle is eight feet more than the width. The perimeter is 60 feet. Find the length and width.

Short answer

The length of the rectangle is 19 and its width is 11.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1. Given information

Let the width of the rectangle be $x$and

the length of the rectangle be $x+8$.

The perimeter of the rectangle is 60 feet.

Step 2. Use the formula for the perimeter of the rectangle.

The perimeter of the rectangle is $P=2(l+w)$.

Substitute the values.

$$\begin{gathered} 60=2(x+x+8) \\ \frac{60}{2}=2x+8 \\ 30=2x+8 \\ 30-8=2x \\ 22=2x \\ \frac{22}{2}=x \\ x=11 \end{gathered}$$

Step 3. Find the length and width of the rectangle.

The length of the rectangle is

$$\begin{gathered} l=x+8 \\ =11+8 \\ =19 \end{gathered}$$

The width of the rectangle is

$$\begin{gathered} w=x \\ =11 \end{gathered}$$