Question

The length of a rectangle is 2 inches less than 3 times the number of inches in its width. If the perimeter of the rectangle is 28 inches, what is the width and length of the rectangle?

Answer 1

Perimeter = 2L + 2w
in this case, L = 3w - 2 and perimeter = 28.
so, 28 = 2L + 2w.  or 14 = L + w.  or substitute for L: (3w - 2) +w =14 
or 4w - 2 = 14.  4w = 12. 12/4 = 3 = w.
The width = 3 inches; and the length = (3x3 -2) 7 inches.