document.write( "Question 155724: If anyone can help me...
\n" ); document.write( "The width of a rectangle is 4ft. less than the length. The area is 5ft^2. Find the length and the width.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "How do I do this? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #114757 by nerdybill(7384)\"\" \"About 
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The width of a rectangle is 4ft. less than the length. The area is 5ft^2. Find the length and the width.
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\n" ); document.write( "Let x = length of rectangle
\n" ); document.write( "then because \"width of a rectangle is 4ft. less than the length\" we get:
\n" ); document.write( "x-4 = width of rectangle
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\n" ); document.write( "Now, we also should know that the area of any rectangle is:
\n" ); document.write( "length * width
\n" ); document.write( "Therefore, we get out equation:
\n" ); document.write( "x(x-4) = 5
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 -4x = 5
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 -4x - 5 = 0
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\n" ); document.write( "Factoring we get:
\n" ); document.write( "(x-5)(x+1) = 0
\n" ); document.write( "x = {-1, 5}
\n" ); document.write( "Since we can't have a negative length the answer must be:
\n" ); document.write( "x = 5 feet (length)
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\n" ); document.write( "Previously, we said:
\n" ); document.write( "x-4 = width of rectangle
\n" ); document.write( "x-4 = 5-4 = 1 feet (width)
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