math problem: area of two squares (detailed)?
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc309/geegeeluvsu/26436L64N662G355152F.jpg
The design shows the layout of a vegetable garden and the surrounding path. The path is 1.5 feet wide. First, find the total area of the vegetable garden and path. Then, find the area of the vegetable garden and the area of the path.
If 12 squared is supposed to be the garden, then how is 144 the total area. This is driving insane.
it’s a math problem on my test, and it’s driving me crazy.
THANKS EVERYONE WHO ANSWERED.
Ok, here’s how to do it:
The garden plus the path has a side length of 12 ft. So the area of both is 12 squared, or 12 * 12 which is 144 ft^2.
The garden itself is the area inside. This has a side length of 12 – 2 * 1.5 (because there is a path on both sides) which is 12 – 3 which is 9. so the area of the garden itself is 9 squared, or 9 * 9 which is 81 ft^2.
Now, for the path, you just take the total and subtract the garden to get 144 – 81 which is 63 ft^2.
Hope this helps, and if you have any more problems, feel free to ask!
Gardening & Plant Care : Vegetable Garden Layouts