If x represents width of rectangle & length is 4 less than 3 times the width? What is the width and how would you translate this into numbers?

*area =?
*where length is 4 less than 3 times the width
*Length = x -3
*Width = x
*Area = (4x-3) (x) = 4x ^2-3x
Is this the way you do this problem?

4 answers

3x - 4
http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1435552268
length is 4 less than 3 times the width

less than means you're going to be subtracting.

6 is 2 less than 8
50 is 40 less than 90

So, expect to see "-4" because the length is 4 less than something.

Less than what? 3 times the width. The "times" indicates multiplication.

3 times 4 is 12
9 times 6 is 54

so, if the width is x, then 3 times the width is 3x.

The length is 4 less than that, or

3x-4

It's surprising that these ideas seem so hard for you to grasp. This is the kind of stuff we all do every day.
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