Joseph wants to build a sandbox that has a perimeter of 400.8 meters. The length is 185.2 meters.
What is the width of their sandbox?
The correct answer and explanation is:
To find the width of Joseph’s sandbox, we can use the formula for the perimeter of a rectangle. The perimeter PP of a rectangle is given by the equation: P=2×(length+width)P = 2 \times (\text{length} + \text{width})
We are told that the perimeter is 400.8 meters and the length is 185.2 meters. The formula becomes: 400.8=2×(185.2+width)400.8 = 2 \times (185.2 + \text{width})
Now, solve for the width. First, divide both sides of the equation by 2 to isolate the terms inside the parentheses: 200.4=185.2+width200.4 = 185.2 + \text{width}
Next, subtract 185.2 from both sides to solve for the width: width=200.4−185.2=15.2 meters\text{width} = 200.4 – 185.2 = 15.2 \, \text{meters}
Thus, the width of the sandbox is 15.2 meters.
Explanation:
The perimeter of a rectangle is the total distance around the boundary. The formula used is based on the fact that the opposite sides of a rectangle are equal in length. So, the perimeter is twice the sum of the length and width. In this problem, we already know the perimeter and the length of the sandbox, so we can rearrange the formula to solve for the width. By substituting the known values into the equation, we found that the width is 15.2 meters.