I can help you solve the problem based on the image of the rectangular grid you uploaded. Let's break it down step by step:

Problem Summary:

• The task is to find the dimensions (length of the shorter and longer sides) and the area of the rectangular dog walk shown in the diagram.
• Each small square on the grid has a side length of 1 yard, and the area of each small square is $1 \, \text{yd}^2$.

Step 1: Counting the squares

From the image:

• The shorter side of the rectangle spans across 3 squares.
• The longer side spans across 7 squares.

Step 2: Calculate the dimensions

Since each square is 1 yard by 1 yard:

• The shorter side is $3 \, \text{yd}$.
• The longer side is $7 \, \text{yd}$.

Step 3: Calculate the area

The area of a rectangle is given by: $\text{Area} = \text{length} \times \text{width}$ Substitute the values: $\text{Area} = 7 \, \text{yd} \times 3 \, \text{yd} = 21 \, \text{yd}^2$

Final Answers:

• Length of the shorter side: 3 yards
• Length of the longer side: 7 yards
• Area of the dog walk: 21 square yards

Let me know if you'd like further details, and feel free to ask any questions! Here are 5 follow-up questions:

1. How do you calculate the perimeter of the dog walk?
2. What would happen to the area if the length of the longer side were doubled?
3. How would you find the area if the grid squares had a different size, like 2 yards per side?
4. Can you calculate the diagonal of the rectangle using the Pythagorean theorem?
5. What would the area be if both dimensions were increased by 2 yards?

Tip: Always double-check the dimensions of each side by counting the grid units carefully.