SOLUTION: Given a particular rectangle, if you increase its width and decrease its length by one, then the area is decreased by four. If you instead decrease its width by one and increase t

Question 759439: Given a particular rectangle, if you increase its width and decrease its length by one, then the area is decreased by four. If you instead decrease its width by one and increase the length by two, the area is increased by sixteen. What is the area of the original rectangle?
I have and worked down to and 2x-18=y}}} where did I mess up, or where do I go from here?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39618) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You did well and then you found NO obstacle other than believing you found an obstacle. Those two resulting equations are correct. TWO equations and use TWO variables, x and y. You have this system now, simplified from what you made initially (which was obviously also correct):

SYSTEM:

and

All you need to do is just FINISH! Two equations, both linear, in two variables.
You have no reason to feel stuck.
... Try adding one equation to the other! That would eliminate y and you would then solve to find a value for x; then go back and find the value for y.

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