A rectangle has a perimeter of 12m. If each side is a whole number of meters, what are the possible dimensions for the length and width?
P = 2L + 2W
5 by 1
4 by 2
3 by 3
To find the possible dimensions of the rectangle, we need to consider that the perimeter of a rectangle is calculated by adding up the lengths of all its sides.
Let's assume that the length of the rectangle is represented by 'L' and the width by 'W'.
Given that the perimeter is 12m, we can write an equation:
2L + 2W = 12
Simplifying this equation, we get:
L + W = 6
Since each side must be a whole number of meters, we need to find the whole number solutions for the sum of two numbers that equal 6.
Let's consider the possible values for L and W:
If L = 1, then W = 6 - L = 5.
If L = 2, then W = 6 - L = 4.
If L = 3, then W = 6 - L = 3.
If L = 4, then W = 6 - L = 2.
If L = 5, then W = 6 - L = 1.
Therefore, the possible dimensions for the length and width of the rectangle are:
1m x 5m,
2m x 4m,
3m x 3m,
4m x 2m,
5m x 1m.