To find the area you will need to begin with the information about the perimeter. You will use the formula P = 2l + 2w. You will replace what we know in this formula making it 72 = 2l + 2 (1/3l). You will replace the width with the information we know about the width. Simplify the expression on the right to make a new equation 72 = 2 2/3 l. Solve for the length by dividing both sides by 2 2/3. When you divide 72 by 2 2/3 you get 27 inches as your answer. This is the length. Once you know the length, you can take 1/3 of it (1/3 x 27) to get the width of 9 in. Now that you know the length and the width, you will multiply these together (27 in. x 9 in) to get an area of 243 square inches!
