A rectangular field is half as wide as it is long, and it is completely enclosed by 54 meters of fencing. What is the number of square meters in the area of the field?
If the width is x, then the length is 2x.
The perimeter will be two widths plus two lengths: 2(x) + 2(2x) = 2x + 4x = 6x
Since the perimeter is 54: 6x = 54 ---> x = 9 meters (width) and 2x = 18 meters (length).
The area is length times width: 9 m x 18 m = 162 m2.