We have learnt that to evaluate the value of an algebraic expression, we substitute a value of the variable in the given expression. Consider Example 3, where the wire is bent to form a rectangle. Here, the area of the rectangle, , is a function of . Can you interpret this as an input-output process? What value does the expression take when cm? [Page No. 20]
Think of a machine: you feed in a value of (the input), the machine computes , and gives back the area (the output). For :
So when the length is 6 cm, the rectangle's area is .