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.