SOLUTION: Please help me solve this problem. The width of a rug is 7 feet less than one-half it's length. Find the dimensions of the rug if the area is 60 square feet.

Question 923206: Please help me solve this problem.
The width of a rug is 7 feet less than one-half it's length. Find the dimensions of the rug if the area is 60 square feet.
Answer by stanbon(75887) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The width of a rug is 7 feet less than one-half it's length. Find the dimensions of the rug if the area is 60 square feet.
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Let the length be "L"::
Then the width is (1/2)L - 7
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Equation to solve for "L"::
Area = length*width
60 = L((1/2)L - 7)
60 = (1/2)L^2 - 7L)
120 = L^2 - 14L
Rearrange::
L^2 - 14L - 120 = 0
(L-20)(L+6) = 0
Positive solution::
Length = 20 ft
Width = (1/2)L - 7 = 3 ft.
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Cheers,
Stan H.
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