A rectangular garden is 20 meters long and 15 meters wide. A 2-meter-wide path is built around the garden. What is the area of the path?
["How to Calculate the Area of a Path Around a Rectangular Garden (20m × 15m with a 2-Meter-Wide Path)", "When designing an outdoor space, one common challenge is incorporating accessible pathways while preserving the area available for planting. In this article, we’ll explore how to calculate the area of a 2-meter-wide path built around a rectangular garden measuring 20 meters long and 15 meters wide.", "---", "### Garden Dimensions and Path Setup", "- Garden length: 20 meters\n- Garden width: 15 meters\n- Path width: 2 meters (built uniformly around the garden)", "The path surrounds the garden, meaning the total composite area includes both the garden and the surrounding walkways.", "---", "### Step 1: Calculate Overall Dimensions Including the Path", "Since the path is 2 meters wide on all sides, it adds 2 meters to each side of the garden’s length and width.", "- Total length including path:\n ( 20 + 2 + 2 = 24 ) meters\n- Total width including path:\n ( 15 + 2 + 2 = 19 ) meters", "---", "### Step 2: Calculate Total Area (Garden + Path)", "Use the formula for the area of a rectangle:\n[\n\ ext{Total Area} = \ ext{Length} \ imes \ ext{Width}\n]\n[\n\ ext{Total Area} = 24 , \ ext{m} \ imes 19 , \ ext{m} = 456 , \ ext{m}^2\n]", "---", "### Step 3: Calculate Garden Area Alone", "[\n\ ext{Garden Area} = 20 , \ ext{m} \ imes 15 , \ ext{m} = 300 , \ ext{m}^2\n]", "---", "### Step 4: Calculate Path Area (Area of Path Only)", "Subtract the garden area from the total area to find the area occupied by the path:", "[\n\ ext{Path Area} = \ ext{Total Area} - \ ext{Garden Area}\n]\n[\n\ ext{Path Area} = 456 , \ ext{m}^2 - 300 , \ ext{m}^2 = 156 , \ ext{m}^2\n]", "---", "### Conclusion", "The area of the 2-meter-wide path around a rectangular garden that is 20 meters long and 15 meters wide is 156 square meters. This calculation ensures accurate planning for landscaping, materials, and usability while maximizing both garden and walkway space.", "---", "### Key Takeaways\n- A uniform 2-meter path increases effective area needed for non-planting zones.\n- Adding path width to each dimension simplifies total area computation.\n- Subtracting garden area gives precise path coverage.\n- Useful for garden planning, hardscaping, and space optimization.", "For optimal design, balance aesthetics with utility—considering pathways enhances accessibility without sacrificing green space."]
