niheil wrote:
Please help me solve the following Problem Solving question. It was asked in one of the GMAT Paper Tests:
A rectangular tabletop consists of a piece of laminated wood bordered by a thin metal strip along its four edges. The surface area of the tabletop is x square feet, and the total length of the strip before it was attached was x feet. If the tabletop is 3 feet wide, what is its approximate length, in feet?
Choices:
(A) 12
(B) 10
(C) 9
(D) 8
(E) 6
Answer
(E) 6
Hi, and welcome to Gmat Club. Below is a solution for your problem.
Given: \(area=length*width=x\), as \(width=3\) --> \(3l=x\).
"Wood bordered by a thin metal strip along its four edges" and "the total length of the strip before it was attached was x" means that perimeter of a rectangular tabletop is also equal to \(x\): \(2(l+w)=2l+6=x\);
So we have: \(3l=2l+6\) --> \(l=6\).
Answer: E.
Hope it's clear.
The Highlighted part: I am unable to visualize/understand, how the length of a strip (given) becomes the perimeter of a table top. If it said, total length of the table top is x then maybe it would make sense.