SOLUTION: Can someone help me please? The width of a rectangular is 4ft. less than the length. The area is 5ft.^2. Find the length and the width. Thank you.

Question 132293: Can someone help me please?
The width of a rectangular is 4ft. less than the length. The area is 5ft.^2. Find the length and the width.
Thank you.
Found 2 solutions by jim_thompson5910, edjones:
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let L=length, W=width

Since the "width of a rectangular is 4ft. less than the length", this means we have the equation:

Also since the "area is 5ft.^2", we have the second equation

----> Notice how I plugged in

Now plug in

Distribute

Subtract 5 from both sides

Factor the right side (note: if you need help with factoring, check out this solver)

Now set each factor equal to zero:
or

or Now solve for L in each case

So our answer is
or

However, since a negative length doesn't make any sense, the only possible solution is

So the length is 5 ft

Now go back to the equation

Plug in

Subtract

So the width is 1 ft

Answer by edjones(8007) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
w=L-4
A=L*w
L(L-4)=5
L^2-4L-5=0
(L-5)(L+1)=0
L=5
w=5-4=1
.
Ed
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