Question: If the length of a rectangle is increased by 20% and the width is decreased by 10%, what is the percentage change in the area?
Options:
Correct Answer: 2% decrease
Solution:
Let the original length be L and width be W. The new length is 1.2L and the new width is 0.9W. The original area is LW and the new area is (1.2L)(0.9W) = 1.08LW. The percentage change in area is ((1.08LW - LW) / LW) * 100 = 8% increase.