Question

Eleanor and max used two rectangular wooden boards to make a set for the school play.one board was 6 feet long and the other board was 5 and 1/2 feet long. the two boards had equal widths .The total are off the set was 60 3/8 square feet.What was the width??

Answer 1

Area = Length × Width

60 3/8 = (5 1/2 × w) + (6 × w)
60 3/8 = 11 1/2 + 2w
48 7/8 = 2w
24 7/16 = w

Width: 24 7/16

Answer 2

By definition, the area of a rectangle is:

$A = w * l$

Where,

w: width of the rectangle

l: length of the rectangle

The total area is given by:

$A = A1 + A2$

Where,

A1: rectangular wooden board 1

A2: rectangular wooden board 2

Substituting we have:

$60 \frac{3}{8} = (6) (w) + (5\frac{1}{2}) (w)$

Rewriting we have:

$\frac{483}{8} = (6) (w) + (\frac{11}{2}) (w)$

$483 = 48w + 44w\\483 = 92w$

$w = \frac{483}{92}\\w = 5.25$

 $w = 5 \frac{1}{4}$

Answer:

The width is given by:

$w = 5 \frac{1}{4}$