Question

The plans for a rectangular deck call for the width to be 10 feet less than the length. Sam wants the deck to have an overall perimeter of 60 feet. What should the length of the deck be?

Answer 1

Length of deck is 40 feet

Solution:

Sam wants the deck to have an overall perimeter of 60 feet

Perimeter of rectangular deck = 60 feet

Let "L" be the length of rectangle and "W" be the width of rectangle

Given that plans for a rectangular deck call for the width to be 10 feet less than the length

Width = length - 10

W = L - 10  ------ eqn 1

The perimeter of rectangle is given as:

perimeter of rectangle = 2(length + width)

Substituting the known values we get,

60 = 2(L + L - 10)

60 = 2(2L - 10)

60 = 4L - 20

80 = 4L

L = 20

Thus the length of deck is 20 feet