Hi Ivan,

You are asked for the dimensions of the rectangle and the dimensions are the length and the width so let's call the length $L$ centimeters and the width $W$ centimeters. You are told that the area is 72 square centimeters so

\[L \times W = 72.\]

Now read the first sentence carefully "The length of a rectangle is 31 centimeters less than five times its width." Five times the width is $5 \times W$ and 13 centimeters less than this is $5\times W - 13.$ You are told that this is the length so

\[L = 5\times W - 13.\]

Substitute this for $L$ in the first equation and solve fro $W.$ Once you know the width you can use the fact that the area is 72 square centimeters to find the length.

Penny