Question

A wire is cut into several small pieces. Each of the small pieces is bent into a square of side 2 cm. If the total area of the small squares is 28 square cm, what was the original length of the wire?

Answer 1

Given, side of square made by bending a small piece of wire = 2 cm

And total area of the small squares made by benting small pieces of wire = 28 sq cm

Now, number of small squares = `"Total area of small squares"/"Area of one small squares"`

= `28/(2 xx 2)`   ......[∵ Area of square = Side × Side]

= `28/4` = 7

Now, perimeter of a small square = 4 × Side

= 4 × 2

= 8 cm

Perimeter of 7 such small squares = Perimeter of one small square × 7

= 8 × 7

= 56 cm

∴ Original length of wire = Perimeter of 7 small squares = 56 cm

Hence, the original length of wire is 56 cm.