Wire bent into small squares of side 2 cm. Total area = 28 cm². Find original length of wire.
Step 1: Area of one small square
Side = \(2\,\text{cm}\)
Area of one square = \(\text{side} \times \text{side}\)
= \(2\,\text{cm} \times 2\,\text{cm} = 4\,\text{cm}^2\)
Step 2: Find how many such squares there are
Total area of all squares = \(28\,\text{cm}^2\)
Number of squares = \(\dfrac{\text{total area}}{\text{area of one}}\)
= \(\dfrac{28}{4} = 7\) squares
Step 3: Perimeter (boundary) of one small square
Perimeter of a square = \(4 \times \text{side}\)
= \(4 \times 2\,\text{cm} = 8\,\text{cm}\)
Step 4: Total length of the wire
The wire makes all the boundaries, so
Total length = \(\text{number of squares} \times \text{perimeter of one}\)
= \(7 \times 8\,\text{cm} = 56\,\text{cm}\)
Answer: \(\boxed{56\,\text{cm}}\)