Area of the footpath should be 28m².
(Most likely, typo)
28 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 = 24m²
24 ÷ 4 = 6m²
Therefore, length of square garden =6
Area = 6×6 = 36m²

To add on to AC Lim's answer, the reason for -1 4 times is to remove the 4 squares at the corner of the foot path. This will give you the area of the 4 rectangles alongside the footpath.

Since 4 rectangles = 24m^2, 1 rectangle = 6m^2. We already know that the breadth = 1m, and hence the length has to be 6m to get an area of 6m^2. This length is also equal to the length of the square garden.

Therefore area of square garden = 36m^2

Hope it helps.

There is another approach to this without using algebra.

Since both are squares (big one that includes both garden and foot path, and a small one which is the garden)

We find 2 square numbers (numbers with multiplies with themselves) that has a difference of 28m^2

So for this case if we work down the line, we can see that 8x8=64 and 6x6=36 has a difference of 28m^2. Therefore the answer is 36m^2

Thank u everyone :))

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