the sum of the lengths of the sides of a rectangle is represented by 32 feet. the width of the rectangle measures 9 feet. what is the length of the rectangle
-- Each side has the same length as the side directly across from it.
-- So there are two sides that are both the width of the rectangle, and another two sides that are both the length of the rectangle.
-- In this particular rectangle, when you add up all four sides, the sum is 32 feet.
-- The width of the rectangle is 9 feet. So there are two sides that are both 9 feet. When you add those up, you have 18 feet.
-- The REST of the 32 feet belongs to the other two sides. That much is (32 - 18) = 14 feet. That's what the other two sides add up to when you add them.
-- The other two sides are equal. So each of them is half of 14 = 7 feet .
This rectangle, or the description of it, is slightly weird. The length of the rectangle is shorter than the width. But that's OK. Two sides are 9 feet, and two sides are 7 feet, and when you add them all up, you get 32 feet, so our solution is correct. Let them call the sides anything they want to.
