Aclub swimming pool is 21 ft wide and 33 ft long. the club members want an exposed aggregate border in a strip of uniform width around the pool. they have enough material for 232 ft squared. how wide can the strip be?

First compute the perimeter of the pool:
(21+33)*2=108 foot. 
Since the material cover 232 ft^2, then it is sufficient to divide the above number over the length of the border like this:
232/108=2.1

The trip can be 2.1 ft in wide.