Video Transcript
Find the width of a rectangle whose area is 104 centimeters squared and length is 13 centimeters. Our question wants us to find the width of a rectangle. It gives us the area and the length of the rectangle.
Our first step here is to remember the formula for finding the area of a rectangle. The area of a rectangle can be found by multiplying the length times the width, area equals length times width. So let’s plug in the information that we already know. Our area is 104 centimeters squared, the length is 13 centimeters, and the width represented by the 𝑤 here is the unknown. That’s what we’re trying to find.
We know that 13 centimeters times some amount of centimeters equals 104 centimeters squared. To solve for 𝑤, we’ll need to divide both sides of the equation by 13 centimeters. 13 centimeters times 𝑤 divided by 13 centimeters equals 𝑤. If you aren’t sure why, look at the note. 13 centimeters over 13 centimeters equals one, and one times 𝑤 equals 𝑤.
104 centimeters squared divided by 13 centimeters equals eight centimeters. The width of this rectangle equals eight centimeters. And if you weren’t sure, you could check by multiplying eight centimeters times 13 centimeters and you’ll find that that equals 104 centimeters squared, which confirms our final answer of eight centimeters for the width.
