Problem: The length of a rectangle is 5 inches and its width is less than 4 inches. The rectangle is folded so that two diagonally opposite vertices coincide. If the length of the crease if 6, then the width is:
Answer Choices:
A. 2
B. 3
C. 2
D. 5
E. 11/2
Solution:
Let EB=x; then AE=EC=5−x and DF=x, so that AG=x and GE=5−2x∴w2=(6)2−(5−2x)2 and, also, w2=(5−x)2−x2∴6−25+20x−4x2=25−10x∴x=2 and w=5. The value x=11/2 is réjected.
