SOLUTION: I have tried figuring this one out, but no luck. Can you please help me? A rectangular parking lot has a length that is 3 yards greater than the width. The area of the parking l

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Question 122304: I have tried figuring this one out, but no luck. Can you please help me?
A rectangular parking lot has a length that is 3 yards greater than the width. The area of the parking lot is 180 square yards. Find the length and the width.
This is how I set up the equation: x(x+3)=180 but it doesn't work out.
Found 2 solutions by Fombitz, jim_thompson5910:
Answer by Fombitz(32388) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You set it up right.
Let see where it goes.

You can factor this quadratic equation.

x=-15 and x=12 solve the equation.
Since we're interested in a measurement, the negative value doesn't make sense.
x=12.
Check your answer.

True statement.
Your answer is correct.
Where'd you get stuck?

Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You have the correct equation set up

Start with the given equation

Distribute

Subtract 180 from both sides

Factor the left side. Note: if you need help with factoring , check out this solver.

Set each factor equal to zero

or

Now solve for x in each case

or

Since a negative length/width doesn't make any sense, our only solution is

So this means that the width is 12 yards. Now to find the length, simply add 3 yards to 12 to get . So the length is 15 yards

Check:

Simply multiply the width 12 and the length 15 to get

which is the area.

So this verifies our answer.