One side of a rectangle is 3 inches shorter than the other side, and the perimeter is 54 inches. What are the dimensions of the rectangle?

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Answer 1 · 2016-03-03T23:59:30

$12 xx 15$ inches

Suppose the shorter sides of the rectangle are $t$ inches. Then the longer sides are $t+3$ inches and the perimeter is:

$2t + 2(t+3) = 4t+6$

So:

$4t+6 = 54$

Subtract $6$ from both sides to get:

$4t=48$

Divide both sides by $4$ to get:

$t=12$

So the shorter sides of the rectangle are $12$ inches and the longer sides $12 + 3 = 15$ inches.