SOLUTION: A rectangular garden has an area of 12 ft by 5 ft. A gravel path of equal width is to be built around the garden. How wide can the path be if there is enough gravel for {{{138ft^

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Question 48754: A rectangular garden has an area of 12 ft by 5 ft. A gravel path of equal width is to be built around the garden. How wide can the path be if there is enough gravel for 138ft%5E2?
Answer by checkley71(8403) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
12*15=180 for the garden + 138 for the path or 180+138=318 for the total area
thus (12+2x)(15+2x)=318 or 180+30x+24x+4x~2=318 or 4x~2+54x-138=0 or using the quadratic equation we get x=2.2 & -15.7
therefore the path is ~2.2 feet wide
proof (12+4.4)(15+4.4)=318 or 16.4*19.4=318 or 318=318