Question

The width of a rectangle is 2 units less than the length. The area of the rectangle is 63 units. What is the length, in units, of the rectangle?

Answer 1

Answer: Length = 9 units

Step-by-step explanation:

Let L represent the length of the rectangle.

The width of a rectangle is 2 units less than the length. It means that the width of the rectangle is (L - 2) units.

The formula for determining the area of a rectangle is expressed as

Area = length × width

The area of the rectangle is 63 units. It means that

L(L - 2) = 63

L² - 2L = 63

L² - 2L - 63 = 0

L² + 7L - 9L - 63 = 0

L(L + 7) - 9(L + 7) = 0

L - 9 = 0 or L + 7 = 0

L = 9 or L = - 7

Since the length cannot be negative, then

L = 9 units

Width = 9 - 2 = 7 units