Question

The width of a rectangle is 6 in. less than its length. The perimeter is 68 in. What is the width of the rectangle?

Answer 1

Length= y in.
Width= (y-6) in.
Perimeter = 2(L*W)
Perimeter=2L+2W
68in.=2(y)+2(y-6)
68=2y+2y-12
68=4y-12
68+12=4y
4y=80
y=20
Length= 20 inches, width =14 inches

Answer 2

To answer let the length of the rectangle be represented by L. With the condition from the problem, the width is L - 6. The perimeter of the rectangle is twice the sum of the length and width. With the given values, the equation becomes,
                                  P = 2L + 2W
                                 68 in = 2L + 2(L - 6)
The value of L from the equation is 20 inches. Therefore, the width is equal to 14 inches.