SOLUTION: If the sides of a square are decreased by 3cm, the area is decreased by 81cm squared. What were the dimensions of the original square? I was also wondering if you could show the wo

Question 52282: If the sides of a square are decreased by 3cm, the area is decreased by 81cm squared. What were the dimensions of the original square? I was also wondering if you could show the work you used to get to the solution, thank you.
Answer by Earlsdon(6294) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let the original side of the square be s.
The area of the original square is:
If you decrease s by 3 you'll have s-3.
The area of the new square will be:

and this is equal to the original area decreased by 81. Putting this all together, we get:
Simplify and solve for s, the length of the side of the original square. Subtract from both sides.
Subtract 9 from both sides.
Divide both sides by -6.

The dimensions of the original square were:
15 cm. by 15 cm.
RELATED QUESTIONS
c... If the sides of a square are decreased by 3cm, the area is decreased by 81cm^2.What (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)

If the sides of a square are decreased by 3 cm, the area is decreased by 81cm^2. What... (answered by mathchemprofessor)

Hello I am not sure how to go about this. If the sides of a square are decreased by 3cm,... (answered by Earlsdon)

If the sides of a square are decreased by 2 cm, the area is decreased by 36 cm squared.... (answered by Earlsdon)

If the sides of a square are decreased by 2cm, the area is decreased by 36 cm squared.... (answered by solver91311)

If the side of a square are decreased by 3cm, the area is decreased by 82cm^2. What were... (answered by robertb)

If the sides of a square are decreased by 3cm, the area is decreased by 81cm2. What were... (answered by ikleyn)

If the sides of a square are decreased by 2 cm, the area is decreased by 36 cm^2. What... (answered by checkley71,Fermat)

If the sides of a square are decreased by 2cm, the area is decreased by 36 cm^2. What... (answered by Nate,checkley71)